


One of Her Own

by littlestarlight44



Category: Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: adulting ahsoka just doing her best, child Ezra, mentor ahsoka, smol ezra, young ezra
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-29
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-08-09 09:15:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 22,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16447031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlestarlight44/pseuds/littlestarlight44
Summary: On a scouting mission to Lothal to see if they could create a base, Ahsoka was not expecting to chase down a small boy who had stolen credits from her. And she certainly wasn't expecting that she would take him back to the base.{AU where Ahsoka finds young Ezra and raises him}





	1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

 

Walking back up the street towards her speeder, Ahsoka was slightly surprised to still see it there. Although she was relived, she half expected that one of the locals would try to steal it, or even parts of it. The people on Lothal were not in the greatest of economic terms. And with the port around, there were non-locals around as well and they were not the most trustworthy or reliable either. Not to mention, but it seemed that there were not any Imperials around the city today. Even though that made her job of looking around Lothal a bit easier, her focus was not on inspecting the city anyway. She was more looking towards the ends of farmlands and the mountains, places that ere easy to hide a small base or group of people for the rebellion. Although they knew that the Empire’s presence on Lothal had grown slightly, the numbers were still low enough that it was worth looking over. And that was what Ahsoka spent the whole day doing. Only now, in the later part of the day, did she decide to look around the capital to learn more information about the planet.

But she was glad to go home…or at least back to the base. As much as she liked to explore, she had seen enough mountains and tight spaces. But that was not what was bothering her the most. There was a…flow of the Force. Like a small beacon. The sense of the Force on the planet was so unique and different than what she usually connected to.

She was so lost in thought that she barely gave notice to a person bumping into her. She didn’t even notice that the person was smaller. She just heard a small sorry and felt a sudden rush of the Force. If it weren’t for that, Ahsoka would not have even stopped in surprise. It was like she was hit with cold water, but instead of feeling surprised or attacked, she felt her own energized rush. 

After turning around, she saw a little boy running. She stared after him for a couple of seconds before she moved her arm, brushing it against the pockets on her belt.

It was only then that she felt the emptiness of the pocket. 

Staring after the boy again, she felt things tie together. Perhaps she wouldn’t get off of Lothal without being victimized by a thief.

“Hey!” she called, breaking into a run as she followed the boy, “Wait!”

She would need money to be able to make it back to the base after she stopped at a port.

She followed the boy through the streets. The boy pushed through people first, which left her an open space to follow.

“Wait!” Ahsoka called to him before seeing the small boy move into an alleyway.

Following him quickly, Ahsoka almost halted as she realized that the boy was trying to climb up a small fence. It was the break that she needed. Running up to him, Ahsoka grabbed his hips gently and pulled him down, turning him and placing him on the groundso she could stare him down.

Only she was the one who got a surprise.

When she was running she didn’t realize how _small_ this boy was. She wasn’t expecting a _kid._ The running made him look taller. Or she just wasn’t paying that much attention. The boy had rather large blue eyes as well. A piercing blue that was slightly alarming from the edge they could have but comforting at the same time by the deepness. His hair was matted and knotted, but it was dark. His skin was slightly dark as well, though definitely not as much as Kaeden’s. Both of them were panting, staring at each other.

Ahsoka stared at the little boy. Reaching into the Force, she could feel him. The little boy was very strong in the Force, but that did nothing to ease Ahsoka. There were a lot of fears for Force-sensitive children in the Empire and what they would be forced and trained to do. She already felt some fear for the child. She remembered Hedala Fardi how many years ago, but it seemed that this boy didn’t have anyone. Or at least anyone to protect him. She guessed that he was seven or eight, but he was forty, maybe fifty pounds underweight. There were no muscles on his tiny body. He looked so scared, no _terrified_ , staring up at her.

“I-I’m sorry. I-I’m s-sorry. Please d-don’t hurt me.” the boy told her, starting to cry, fumbling his words in his plea.

Even though Ahsoka was crouching, Ahsoka was still taller than him, or seemingly taller than him. The montrals construed her size. But she hoped that kneeling would help diminish at least some of the boy’s fears. He was trembling as though he had just come out of freezing water on Hoth. His surge of raw, deep fear worried her. Even getting closer, Ahsoka could see how…small the child was. He was tiny; only skin and bone. His clothes were old, dirty, ripped in some places, and hung off him terribly. And they smelled like the boy. Ahsoka could guess by the dirt on the boy’s face and hands and by how greasy his hair was that it had been weeks since he had any sort of cleaning, the clothes even longer. As she got closer, Ahsoka forced herself to make sure that she wouldn’t grimace or have her nose twitch. This little boy was already scared and she didn’t want him to feel like he was being judged. 

“It’s alright,” Ahsoka told him calmly, her voice taking a very gentle tone. “I don’t want to hurt you.” 

The boy didn’t seem convinced and Ahsoka did not blame him. This boy was even wise to be fearful of the unknown, especially if Ahsoka was right and he was Force sensitive. But she was also concerned with what happened to this child and why he was so weary and so easily afraid.

Ahsoka decided to keep talking, her voice soft and gentle so that he would see that she wasn’t a threat and didn’t want him scared of her.

“It’s alright,” Ahsoka told him gently. “Just…”

Give her back the money? Looking at him she saw that he clearly needed the credits more than she did. Stay there so she should questions him? Force knew that she had a lot of those running through her mind. Why was this child alone? Why was he in such a deplorable state? She had seen poverty but this was something drastically different than what she had seen before. Where did he live? Did he even have a home? When was the last time that he ate anything substantial? Maybe she should start with the first and most prevalent one.

“Sweetheart, where are your parents?” Ahsoka asked him gently, her voice still in a comforting tone.

The boy looked at her, seemingly very confused and for a brief moment Ahsoka worried that for some reason he might not know Basic, but she sensed some understanding in him in the Force, it was just that he was searching for an answer. Maybe he was an orphan? Or a runaway? Either way, she could feel how he was not just scared as she kept feeling his Force signature. He was hungry too, desperately hungry.

“How about you give me back the credits and we go out to lunch together? Just us. We can go any place you want,” Ahsoka told him. She wanted to make sure that this little child had something to eat and Ahsoka wondered if she fed him if he would open up a little more. And it would make sure that the credits he took would go to good use in case someone tried to take them from him or if his parents, if he had any, used it for other purposes.

She could tell that the boy was very tempted by the idea, but he was also thinking hard about something. Ahsoka could see how smart he was. He was wondering how safe it would be to go with her, even if in a public place. He had just met them and there was a seeded worry in him to be weary of others. What had happened to this child?

And then, she felt something in the Force. His Force signature was…searching her’s. She could even sense what he was looking for. He was trying to sense if she was safe, if he could trust her. She didn’t know if he knew _what_ he was doing specifically or even if he knew what he was doing at all and it was just a natural response. Either way, however, she knew that he was strong enough to manipulate the Force without even realizing it. And as she watched the boy, he seemed surprised as well that he was met with a strong signature as well.

Finally, the boy nodded, slowly reaching into his pockets to get the credits. Ahsoka gave him a comforting smile and he held out his hands, the credits in his grasp. Ahsoka held out her hand slowly to not scare him and he placed the credits back in her palm. She gave him a smile and her fingers lapsed on them.

“Okay,” the boy agreed, his voice small.

Ahsoka nodded, smiling as well before she moved to put the credits back in her own pack. She slowly got to her feet and the tiny boy looked up at her. She seemed to tower over his small stature.

“Where do you want to go?” Ahsoka asked him. “I haven’t been around here before. You know any good places?”

The boy nodded innocently before he turned and moved slightly quickly out of the alleyway. Ahsoka followed at a much slower pace, though making sure he was always in her sight so she could follow him. He would look back at her every now and then to make sure that she was still following him. She sensed that he was slightly worried and she guessed that it was about a worry of her leaving. From her following, she could sense the small trust that he was having for her start to build. He was trusting her to follow and afterwards, she knew the trust would grow because he knew he could count on her to follow through.

She followed him through the streets. Although she kept a lookout for any Imperials, it seemed like a slow day in the town. No sign of any pick-ups. It seems like she really did come on a good day to check around. 

After a couple of minutes, the boy stopped at a colourfully signed vendor with a small line. She stood beside him silently, looking for what he picked out as a family in front of them ordered. It was some type of food where he put meat in this large wrap-like thing and add some sauces and spices, vegetables, and other toppings before wrapping it all up together in the hold of the wrap.

She felt a tug on her hand and she looked down to see that the boy was trying to get her attention. She kneeled down again and the boy moved a bit closer to tell her, “I want the number three.”

Ahsoka nodded and smiled, “you got it.”

The boy smiled, letting go of her hand. Ahsoka moved back to her feet when the family in front of her moved. She stepped forward and gave the man behind the vendor window a smile. He seemed to eye the little boy beside her carefully before looking at her. She began to realize that this many not be the first time that this little boy has either gotten someone to buy him food, or that there was some other history between the two. Whatever the case, Ahsoka didn’t particularly care about that now. She wanted to make sure this boy had something to eat.

“Two of your Number Threes please,” Ahsoka told him pleasantly. 

The man looked back at her and nodded, giving the little boy one last look before he wrote the order down and placed it for the cook to see as he finished making the food for the family before them. Ahsoka took the money out of her pack and gave it to the vendor before she was instructed to stand off to the side and wait. 

She noticed that the family before them was now staring at the blue-haired boy as well. She tried to sense what their fascination was, if it was from some type of history or if it was for first judgement from examination. She found…disgust mostly. There was some sadness and pity, but it was mostly a sense of disgust. Probably from how he looked and how he smelled. It was towards him, not the Empire who destroyed the economics of planets that weren’t apart of the Core Worlds. But she had a horrible, sinking feeling that the child’s isolation was from something else, something that happened to him.

The boy didn’t seem to notice the looks from the family or even just the people walking by, or he couldn’t care. Ahsoka didn’t know which one it was, but it made her think that she was not the first to give him charity of food. Perhaps she was a line of people who came through Lothal and felt pity for the tiny child. It didn’t seem like locals cared enough to do anything long term.

Ahsoka watched the boy use his shoes, his extremely worn in and overused shoes, in the dirt to make some sort of pattern in the dirt. She didn’t know how the shoes weren’t completely broken. They were ripped off at sides and the heels were no longer attached and flapped with each step. There were some small holes at the top and she saw he had no socks. She could only imagine how comfortable they would be being that worn in and the soles being completely ripped and unconnected by wear.

She was so distracted by just watching the mysterious boy entertain himself in the wait by moving his shoes in the dirt and moving around every now and thinking about the boy and again that she almost missed when the vendor called out their order for pick-up. If it hadn’t been for Ezra running towards the window again, Ahsoka would probably have not noticed. She completely missed the other family receiving their food and leaving. Ahsoka turned as well and offered a smile to the vendor before she grabbed the square-type plates that held the wraps. She turned to the boy and saw him standing there, more fidgety, and with wide eyes as he looked at the food with anticipation.

“Do you want any dressing?” she asked, eying the extras that they could add. 

The boy shook his head no and he held out his hand for the plate. Ahsoka looked back at the extras and saw that there was not anything that she wished to have either. She looked around, trying to spot a place where they could sit to eat before she realized that hiding back in the alleyway was probably where he would want to be. In all fairness it was where he felt safe and it would be a good place to have privacy, especially if any Stormtroopers decided to drop in.

“Let’s go back to the alley, okay?” Ahsoka told him, watching as the boy still held out his hand in excitement for the food. 

Although the dark haired boy looked slightly disappointed, he nodded to agree to follow the suggestion. Like before, Ahsoka watched him run and she followed at a slower pace, although she moved slightly more slowly this time to make sure that the food would not drop from the plates being unbalanced.

She could notice some eyes following her as she walked, one pair from the vendor she was sure, but she decided to let it go. She didn’t know how she felt about locals talking about a Togruta doing out of the box thingslike feeding homeless kids around when Imperials could come because she thought that could raise some eyebrows, however she tried to think of one thing at a time. Imperials weren’t the main concern for her at this point; this boy was. 

When the two made it back to the alleyway, the boy turned to look at her again as he waited patiently as Ahsoka walked through as well. She could a spot where they could sit facing each other, where the boy’s back would be to the opening but Ahsoka could still see it so that she could monitor who went past or tried to look in. 

The boy was still almost vibrating in anticipation of eating the food. So, when the two were sitting, Ahsoka gently passed him the plate. Ezra almost ripped it out of her hands, letting the plate hit the ground before his hands darted to the wrap and already beginning to take large bites out of it.

The Togruta stared at the boy in surprised, blinking a couple of times. She had never seen someone so needy for food, especially a child.

But she could sense as he ate that his walls were down. He wasn’t shielding himself so much. He was focused more on the food. It would be a good time to ask him some questions. She decided to start off with the main one that crossed her mind.

“What’s your name?” Ahsoka asked him as the sat down to eat. “Mine’s Ahsoka.”

The boy nodded, not saying anything about the interspecies marriage. Ahsoka knew that it wasn’t the most popular on Lothal, as most people who lived here were human, but he didn’t seem curious about it.

Ahsoka decided to prod him again.

“Can you tell me your name? Or how old you are?” she asked him.

The boy was silent for a couple of moments as he chewed on the Tenders he was eating before he finally answered, “Ezra. Ezra Bridger.”

Ahsoka nodded, offering the boy an encouraging smile.

“That’s a nice name, Ezra,” she told him.

The boy just shrugged, going to take another quick bite of the food. He was quick eat the wrap, almost finishing half of it in seconds. Without even realizing it, as Ahsoka was watching him, she was feeling her stomach slowly drop because it showed how _hungry_ Ezra was. 

Ahsoka realized as her hand started to shake slightly from holding it up so long and losing balance in her hold that she actually did have something in it. She forgot that she had her own wrap. Looking down at it finally, Ahsoka forced it to her lips and to take a bite before her eyes moved back towards Ezra. Before Ahsoka was done chewing and swallowing her own bite, Ezra had already stuffed the rest of his wrap in his mouth and was chewing on it to swallow, his cheeks bulging with the food. Ahsoka had it in her mind to warn him not to choke, but she knew Ezra wouldn’t heed it. Besides the point, this boy was starving. Who was she to tell him to eat slower.

After the boy swallowed, Ahsoka sat in her spot, still shocked and trying to think of what to say. This boy was starting to talk. She needed to learn more, but she also needed to be careful. She didn’t want to spook him.

Staring down at her own wrap, she suddenly didn’t feel like eating. She looked at Ezra, who was starting to eye her wrap as well. Ahsoka sighed and forced a very small smile on her face. 

“You can have mine, I’m not too hungry,” Ahsoka told him, gently giving Ezra the wrap. 

Although the boy had the manners not to just grab it out of her hands, but the instant it was in his, he was trying to stuff all of it in his mouth as well. 

Ahsoka watched him, waiting for another opening before she asked him.

“Ezra, can you tell me how old you are?” Ahsoka asked him again. 

The boy stared back up at her and swallowed the food that was in his mouth. He coughed slightly before answering her, “eight.”

_Eight?_ Ezra looked like a small seven year old…maybe a average six year old. How was he eight?! How long had he been on the streets? Maybe he was also just a small child before but still. Even if he was short for his age, Ezra was still far too skinny for a growing child. 

Before Ahsoka could ask another question, Ezra suddenly stopped eating and turned pale. Ashoka’s expression turned to one of confusion and before she could figure out the hints on her own, Ezra was already on his feet and to the other side of the small alleyway, though slightly in the middle of it and was hunched over slightly. Ahsoka held out her hand to try and catch him, but he was fast on his feet. When she heard gagging sounds, Ahsoka was on her feet and making her way over to him just to see the last of Ezra throwing up the mashup of the wraps he just ate onto the ground near his feet. Ahsoka stuck up her nose slightly. She had seen many things in the war, clones with missing limbs, blood, even dead clones without their heads or heads of clones and vomit was always something that could always set her stomach into twisting motions. At least it didn’t smell, or at least the smell of Ezra was overpowering the stench of what was on the ground.

Ahsoka was chiding herself in her thoughts. She should have known this would happen. Ezra looked starved, it was obvious that he had not ate in a while, and he ate the two wraps in less than a couple of minutes. She should have known that a) the food was too rich and b) that no matter what the food, Ezra’s stomach would have most likely rejected it. She should have tried to find something a lot easier on the stomach for him.

Ezra was hunched over for a couple more seconds after the last of the vomit came out, gasping and trying to catch his breath. The Togruta stared at him for a couple of seconds before she tried to grab at the pockets on her belt. She should have something that he can use to wipe his mouth. Going to a pocket at her left side, she found the small cloth, something that was ripped but she used for cleaning her lightsaber. It was old, but it would do the job. 

Ahsoka offered the boy the cloth and Ezra stared at it for a couple of seconds before he took it. Ahsoka watched him wipe his mouth, though she was sure the taste would be there still, but she tried not to think about that. Ezra throwing up the food like this probably happened often, and was one of the reasons why he was so small.

“Are you alright, Ezra?” she asked, just in case he felt light headed. When was the last time he had any water?

Ezra nodded, offering the cloth back, not knowing the mannerisms. Ahsoka didn’t make a face though as she took the cloth and acted normal holding it so Ezra’s feelings wouldn’t get hurt and she stuffed the cloth back in her pocket. 

“It happens sometimes,” Ezra told her weakly. Ahsoka could tell that he probably still felt sick to his stomach. She took a step closer and offered him a smile as she gently moved a hand through his hair to try and comfort him. She didn’t want to make it awkward, and she hoped it didn’t come off that way even if she was nervous. She knew how to take care of kids but…Ezra was different somehow. She knew he had been through a lot. And comfort may be too foreign for him now, or something that scares him. But instead, he leaned slightly into her touch. That only made her chest tighten because she knew that could confirm something else.

Ezra was alone on the streets.

Maybe he was alone period.

But if so, then where were his parents?

Stroking his hair again, ignoring the feeling of grease on her fingertips, she asked him, “Ezra, can you show me where you live?”

 

* * *

 

Ezra pointed the way as he sat in front of Ahsoka on her bike. Ahsoka had to stop herself from trying to drive with one hand while the other would wrap around Ezra because she feared in the speed he could maybe fly off, but she realized how ridiculous she was sounding. 

The way wasn’t too far from town. If Ezra just told her to go to the Tower than she would have been able to go there herself without any direction. She could spot the Tower from the town. As she got closer to it, going down the roads, she realized where she was going: to an abandoned Tower. It was another confirmation about Ezra’s state of affairs, how he was not in a home, he was in a place.

But when he led her up there with ease and what her eyes saw when she was up at the top was worse.

There were broken windows. There was glass all over the floor. She could already feel the wind on her, making her cold. It was so much colder up in the tower, there was more wind because they were higher up. Yes it would save Ezra from most of the elements, but hard winds and rain could still come in. Glass could fly, Ezra could get a cut and Force forbid that happen because what if it got infected. The list of scenarios going through Ahsoka’s head was astounding as she felt her chest get heavy. Ezra was eight. And as Ahsoka expected, he was alone. No adults were here, and she doubted that any were coming.

“You live here?” Ahsoka asked as she looked around the tower. She saw in one corner a bed, not really a bed just a couple of blankets and a poorly made make-shift pillow with a stuffed loth cat. There were some boxes a bit away where she guessed he put food when he found it. There were tattered towels and clothes a bit away. This was it? This empty, dirty, abandoned tower was this boy’s home? She knew for certain that the boy was alone. She would have definitely had questioning and worried parents if he wasn’t. And there would be more bedding. She knew for certain this boy was alone.

Ezra nodded.

“Don’t you get cold?” she asked. The nights were cold and those blankets were thin. She didn’t want to even imagine him in the winter months with just that to keep him warm. There were broken windows, poor insulation… 

Again, Ezra shrugged before going to sit on the blankets. Ahsoka watched him bring one to wrap around himself, to comfort himself with the touch and to use it like a shield to protect him. In the force he felt somewhat guilty and embarrassed to show her his home. 

The Togruta didn’t like this at all. A child as young as Ezra alone? Like this? She wondered for how long. Obviously the boy had been able to survive, but only barely.

Ahsoka walked to the ‘bed’ before sitting down across from him, a little bit away so that Ezra could keep the space he wanted. She crossed her legs and stared at him, wondering where to start first.

“Ezra, where are your parents?” she asked him. 

There was a silence between them. One that seemed like it was screaming and making the most horrid of noise. It was a silence that only made Ahsoka feel more sick to her stomach. A silence that spoke volumes more so than Ezra’s answer could. The silence was the answer of something terrible that has happened. A silence that proved something horrible happened.

“The Empire took them.” she heard the boy whisper as he reached out to hold the stuffed Loth Cat close to his chest to comfort him. The boy’s eyes filled with sorrow at the thought and he hugged the stuffed animal tighter to him, as if trying to squeeze from love from it to him. The Togruta watched as his eyes started to gloss over in expectant tears.

Ahsoka’s brows furrowed. So they took the parents but left the kid? Maybe Ezra ran away and they didn’t bother to look for him. Or they didn’t know. Stormtroopers were scatter-brained in comparison to the clones, and they were constantly changing who was there and who wasn’t.

“How long ago?” Ahsoka asked gently, knowing she was walking on ice now. She didn’t want to set Ezra but she needed more information.

“A year an a half I think.” Ezra answered, not looking at her, “it was before the start of the harvest season last year.”

Although it made her sick to her stomach to confirm, Ezra’s extra description did fit the timeline. Ezra had been alone for a year and a half? Ahsoka felt as though she couldn’t breathe. How had he survived the winter up here? How…there was a lot of things she wondered how he survived. But for now she wouldn’t ask them. Something was more important and that was getting Ezra the help that he needed.

“If you want to come to my ship…you can,” Ahsoka offered to him. Ezra stared up at her, slightly confused. She quickly elaborated with her voice almost tripping over itself, sensing the boy’s confusion and fear. “What I mean is that you can spend the night on my ship. You can have a shower, a warm bed, a safe place to get some rest.”

Ezra stared at her. She knew that it had to be an offer that he didn’t get a lot. He didn’t quite know how to answer. She watched his body language carefully. He was still holding himself closed off, making sure to keep himself in a separate space to make him feel safer. He was holding his stuffed Loth Cat and by his expression, Ahsoka could see he was in great thought. His sense in the Force was full of curiosity. He wanted to say yes; Ahsoka could tell. She could sense that he liked the prospect of a warm place to sleep, but she also sensed some fear. Ahsoka understood that too. Even if she did give him food and didn’t seem like a threat, he was still cautious. Ahsoka didn’t want to know what made this boy seem so…calculating in his answers. He was still very young, but he was a thinker. He needed to think. It was a part of survival, the only way for him to survive. 

And in all honesty, it made Ahsoka feel sick to her stomach. A child shouldn’t have to be so thoughtful in their decision making. Yes, it was good to think, but not like this.

However, Ahsoka could sense one other thing.

He _wanted_ to trust her. She could sense that.

Ahsoka watched as the boy turned to stare from space to stare at her. Ahsoka stared back at him, trying to bring down her walls slightly so that he could sense a safety in her. She wanted to help this boy and she hoped Ezra could sense that.

Perhaps he already had.

“Can I bring Theo?” Ezra asked, holding his stuffed animal closer to his chest.

With relief and hope, there was a sigh of relief before Ahsoka smiled warmly. “Of course!”

 

* * *

 

Ahsoka sat thinking on the ground in the calm night on Lothal, sitting close to the ship still so that she could easily walk on and leave, or if Ezra needed anything. As of now the boy was sleeping on the only bed in the ship, tucked up in a blanket Ahsoka found in the supplies kit to keep him warm as he hugged his stuffed Lothcat in his sleep after she had him take a shower and change into a shirt she was able to find in an old pack by nothing but sheer luck so that he had clean clothes. It was a cute image as Ahsoka watched the boy fall asleep, and rather quickly, and to just watch him. She could sense the relief and security. He felt safe and that made Ahsoka feel better.

However, there was still a million of other things to think about because Ahsoka knew that she couldn’t leave Ezra on Lothal in the way that he was. 

At first she thought about trying to look for an orphanage, or a family friend Ezra could go with, but she realized that if no one took in Ezra yet after a year of the tiny child on his own and wandering the streets, than no one would. And already that didn’t leave her with a lot of options. She didn’t know how she felt about taking Ezra off of Lothal. Lothal was Ezra’s home and all he had known. It would not be fair to suddenly take him away from all of that, but she didn’t know what to do on Lothal for him. And even if she did take him off world, where could she put him? In another orphanage? Maybe she could contact Bail and he could place Ezra in a good orphanage where she’ll know he will be placed with a good family. 

And that would have worked. Ahsoka would have been okay with that.

Except for the fact that there was one thing to completely undermine all of that thinking: Ezra was Force Sensitive. 

This wasn’t like Hedala. She had her father and family not just to take care of her, but regular her use of the Force. She had a family to watch over her. Ezra didn’t have anyone. And she didn’t trust every child in an orphanage or even the family to keep that secret. She could ask Bail to place Ezra in a family that he trusted, but Ahsoka knew that she would be anxious. She knew what the Empire would do to someone like Ezra.

And that left her with one other option: that she would raise Ezra. 

But she wasn’t so sure on that plan.

She was a part of a rebellion and Ezra would be a part of it as well. Although he wouldn’t be under constant disruption, his home life would not be so smooth either and definitely not as stable as it should be. His life with the rebellion would be probably constantly moving from at least one base to the other and there wouldn’t be a lot of friends that he could play with. He would be around weapons. And although they were not under constant fire, sometimes there were attacks. Ezra was a child. He shouldn’t be around that. And where would he get an education? Who would train him? And who would actually take care of him? Ahsoka was constantly going from one base to the next, going from a base to a planet, going to new ports or planets to check out if they could be used for bases…Ezra’s life with her would be unstable if she raised him. She didn’t even have room for him in her quarters unless she put in a request to get another room.

Yet, she thought, who else would be able to take care of him? 

Ezra needed someone.

He needed _her_.

Ahsoka sighed and looked over her shoulder up the ramp to where Ezra was. She pursed her lips. A voice came from her memory _there no accidents. Trust the Force._

Maybe there was a reason she met Ezra.

This was not at all what she was expecting when to find when she went to Lothal.

 

* * *

 

“Ahsoka?”

The Togruta was so into her meditation that she didn’t even hear the boy walk up to her. Ahsoka’s eyes immediately opened and turned her head to look up the ramp. She wasn’t sure how long she was in mediation, but it was still night. By the quick look in the sky, the moons had moved and it had been a couple of hours in meditation. Ahsoka had tried to find peace, to find it in herself to know what to do, although she already knew what the offer to Ezra would be. She knew it before she started meditating. 

Staring at the boy, even in the night Ahsoka could see how much better Ezra looked after taking a shower. His hair was clean and not as dark and it wasn’t matted as much. It seemed slightly longer. And his face was no longer dirty and his eyes seemed to stand out more instead of the dirt. 

The boy didn’t look scared as he approached her. She could sense that his fear in her was gone. There was still the feeling of his want to trust her. Ahsoka knew he did not just want it, but he _needed_ it too. It had been so long since he could find someone to truly rely on and he desperately wanted that again.

He approached her slowly, holding his stuffed Lothcat close to him in comfort and the blanket over his shoulders while the ends dragged on the ground.

“You should still be sleeping, Ezra,” Ahsoka told him softly. He needed it. And she wanted him to get a good rest while both of them knew it was safe to do so, where Ezra didn’t have to fear going to sleep and getting hurt because his guard was down.

But Ezra just shrugged. Ahsoka could tell that he had a question, so she offered him another smile and she patted the ground beside her as a silent indication for him to sit down next to her. He did so, letting the blanket flow behind him as he sat. When he was ready, he tugged the blanket closer around him to keep warm, though still holding Theo close to him.

“Do you have a question, Ezra?” Ahsoka asked.

The boy hesitated, but finally nodded. She could see from his facial expressions that he was nervous though. Despite that, Ahsoka waited patiently and finally Ezra asked his question.

“Do I have to go back?” Ezra whispered.

Ahsoka’s shoulders dropped slowly as she regarded the boy. His face was so hopeful, but also nervous. Ahsoka could read between the lines. Ezra was asking, though in different words, for a home.

And Ahsoka knew that she could provide him an answer without even thinking about it.

Ahsoka gave him a small smile and told him confidently: “No, Ezra, you don’t.”

Although he was surprised, Ahsoka could sense the immediate happiness, the relief. She was surprised that Ezra was so quick to attach to her, but perhaps it was because he was desperate, or he trusted her more than she realized. She had seen how calculated Ezra was in his decision making before. His barriers were down because he felt _safe_ around her. Maybe one of the reasons why he trusted her so much and was attached because it was the first time he could truly do that and he wanted to keep that feeling.

Ahsoka kept a smile, but she still inhaled deeply.

“Ezra, if you come with me, it’s going to be different than living here. You would be staying on Lothal anymore. You’d be moving with me and most likely be staying on places in ships. It would be something called a base, but there aren’t a lot of other kids to play with. And there will probably be a lot of rules in some of the places,” Ahsoka told him gently. “You need to know that. There are going to be changes.”

Ezra nodded, taking all of her words of warning and caution in. But instead, he only had two other questions.

“But you will take care of me?” Ezra asked her, his voice a little softer, as though he wasn’t expecting a good answer.

Ahsoka gulped, but nodded and her tone became more confident.

“If you want me to,” Ahsoka promised. Ezra needed someone. She could be that person.

The boy smiled.

“Can we grab the last things at the Tower?” Ezra asked.

Ahsoka nodded, “whatever you want.”

 

* * *

 

On the way back, Ezra had fallen back to sleep. Ahsoka allowed him to do so, knowing that he needed it. It felt good to know that Ezra felt so comfortable with her that he could easily go to sleep. It almost scared her how fast Ezra attached himself to her. She was expecting ab it more resistance. She wasn’t expecting it to go so fast. She wasn’t expecting to suddenly be a guardian, even short term, of a child who was quite possibly an orphan. Ahsoka would do her research on the Bridgers later.

Upon arriving at the base, she was not surprised to see Sato and Bail Organa waiting for her as she asked for permission to come in and land. Through the glass she could see their faces, slightly curious and slightly unimpressed. She was not surprised by that either. She arrived back hours later than she initially told them.

Leaving the pilot’s chair, Ahsoka went past Ezra. The helmets he grabbed and other quick things were on the other side of the small hallway out. She would leave them in there over night before finding them a spot in her room after she had some rest. 

When she carefully picked up Ezra, she felt the boy shift and stiffen in slight fear from being touched in his sleep. Ahsoka coaxed him gently as she made sure the blanket was still wrapped around him and brought him to rest against her hip.

“It’s just me, Ezra,” Ahsoka told him gently. “Go back to sleep.”

The boy did so, moving to rest his head against her shoulder. Ahsoka smiled slightly before moving more down the hallway to press the button that would lower the ramp for her. As she watched it go, she didn’t realize how loud the sound was. She never noticed it before.

Ahsoka carefully unbounded from the ship, Ezra still wrapped up in a blanket against her, his head on her shoulder. She was sure that he had fallen right back to sleep. He could meet the others in the morning.

Walking down the ramp, the two men walked up to meet her.

“You are quite late, Ahsoka,” Sato told her. “We were starting to get concerned.”

The girl nodded once.

“I am sorry,” she told them, moving more down the ramp and into the light and Ezra became more visible. “I got slightly…sidetracked.”

Even though Ahsoka looked slightly worried, the male faces softened.

“Ah,” Sato said, looking down at the boy in Ahsoka’s arms, a slight, but warm smile coming to the face as he looked over the sleeping child. He could recall his own memories about holding his own son as such. 

“I think I know what happened,” Bail agreed. While both men were confused about the new child, the sleeping face of the boy made any worries or annoyance drift away.

The Togruta sighed and told them, “my apologies, Generals, but…I can explain fully later. He didn’t have anyone and it didn’t feel right to leave him.”

Sato nodded and tried to connect the pieces already, “where are his parents?”

Ahsoka gently helped Ezra shift on her shoulder when he moved. When Ezra stopped moving, Ahsoka answered him, “they’re gone. The Empire arrested them about a year ago…he’s been alone ever since.”

Bail nodded, looking at the boy. No parents and alone, he would have done the same thing. And he didn’t even see what Ezra was before. 

Ahsoka looked over at Ezra carefully before looking at the others. She knew that they had questions and she knew that she didn’t quite want to answer them right now. There was a child on her hip and shoulder, aching for some comfort and they were aching to ask many questions and get answers.

“I can explain my findings in the morning, but if you two wouldn’t mind, I would like to get him to bed,” Ahsoka told them.

Although they were slightly surprised, they agreed. Ahsoka could talk to the other Generals in the morning when everyone else was up.

Without another word, Ahsoka carefully walked out of the landing zone and through the hallways. The lights were brighter both through the lights and from the reflection off of the metal walls and floors. She felt Ezra move in closer to her lekku to hide the light in his eyes. The sudden movement and comfort she sensed from him both made her feel warm, but also terrified her a little. 

It was so late that the base was pretty quiet. Everyone had gone to get rest. The hallways were empty and Ahsoka was glad to avoid all other confused glances she most likely would have gotten if everyone else was awake.

Slipping into her own quarters, Ahsoka felt more relieved to be in the comforting, familiar walls and room. She was in the higher Generals quarters along with the others. She had a small living space that she made work as a very small kitchen area for small snacks and an office-like space and a space for her to relax on a couch. The other room was a small bedroom and a refresher. Her quarters was a single room. Ahsoka was starting to wonder if she would have to ask around for a room change if Ezra was here.

But for tonight at least, Ahsoka gently placed Ezra in her bed. It was by no means the most comfortable bed as it would be on the ground base. This was more of a small bunk than a bed, but sh knew it was better than the floor that Ezra would sleep on before. Carefully placing Ezra on the bed, his head placed lightly on the pillow, Ahsoka made sure that the blanket was still comfortably around him and assuring that he was warm. The boy laid still on the bed, breathing softly, though his breaths seemed louder in the silence than they should be.

Not being able to help herself, Ahsoka stroked his hair one more time before leaving the room, keeping the door open so Ezra would be able to move out of it if he wanted and didn’t feel closed in before turning on the light in the refresher so that there was light around the rooms. She didn’t know if Ezra was scared of the dark, but she tried to convince herself she turned it on so that Ezra could see where the refresher was if he needed to use it.

At last, Ahsoka almost fell onto the couch in the main room. She let out a sigh and slight groan kicking off her shoes with her feet and hearing them hit the floor lightly. The soles of her feet hurt, but she tried to relax her shoulder muscles as she laid out on the couch. Staring up at the ceiling, she was beginning to realize that she had no idea what she just got into.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka buys Ezra his first new clothes.

**Chapter Two**

 

Awakening to tense and tight muscles, Ahsoka groaned a little as she tried to stretch her legs and arms, trying to move out and take as much space on the couch as she could. For a brief moment she was curious as to why she was on the couch before she felt the peaceful wave of Ezra moving around her again. It was weird to suddenly feel a force sensitive being around her again. It was like a small candle, a small beacon with the smell moving around her. It was odd, but also relaxing and nice. 

Getting to her feet, Ahsoka stretched again to try and loosen the tight muscles. Placing her hands at her hips, Ahsoka looked towards the door to her bed. The relaxation of Ezra in the Force told her that he was still sleeping, but she thought that she would still go to double check.

Stepping into the doorway of the room, Ahsoka’s attention was brought to the bed to see the small boy still laying there, curled comfortably under the blankets with his arms still hugging his stuffed Loth-cat to his chest. He looked peaceful and warm. Not being able to stop a smile, Ahsoka moved away from the room, silently thinking of a plan for the day.

Ezra would need clothes. He couldn’t stay in that spare shirt that Ahsoka luckily found forever. When would she be able to go?

Ahsoka moved to the small table in the corner of the room where the small kitchenette area was. The com-unit she had was still there, as it usually was. It was almost always the only desk space she had. 

Moving some filmsi, she found the extra com-unit and she connected to the briefing room, only to see a pilot there, a Captain tell her the plan that Sato had made for when to meet-up. It was hours from now. She had time.

Looking back towards the door, Ahsoka thought that both of them would need something to eat. Still in the clothes from yesterday, Ahsoka moved out of the room, hoping that Ezra wouldn’t wake up soon so that she could make a quick trip to the mess hall. It was pretty early in the morning. Most of the pilots were even still asleep.

 

* * *

 

Ahsoka was eating a small portion of mashed oats and other herbs and wheats. It wasn’t tasteful, but it would fill her and Ezra’s stomach. Not to mention, but it would be easy on Ezra’s stomach too. 

The focus on Ezra was what derailed her data collection for the debriefing that night. 

She had tried to collect all her findings so that she could show them in orderly fashion, but she always found her mind wandering.

It wasn’t just to Ezra, but also to his parents. Perhaps if she got their names then she could find out what happened to them and where they were being held now. She could find out what they were arrested for and why they never took Ezra. It wasn’t like the Empire not to take a child they could force into an Academy and become a Stormtrooper.

But it was also about Ezra too. Or more specifically, what he could eat. She could easily remember Ezra throwing up the day before. She knew he would be hungry today and eat the medium sized bowl of food eagerly and with speed, but she could only hope he wouldn’t throw it up either. 

And that got her mind distracted. What could Ezra eat that would be good on his stomach.

She forced herself to collect everything as much as she needed, though the process was slower as she thought of Ezra and his needs, but she finished. Checking the clock, she was surprised to find that Ezra was still asleep, but she decided to let him be. He would be fine for the extra sleep. Perhaps he hasn't’ slept well for a while. She would let him take it all in. The only damage that it was doing was that Ezra’s food was getting colder, but she could heat that up for him without problems. Besides, she liked having the silence so far. She didn’t forget how loud children could be from her years at the Temple.

Ahsoka moved to search up on the holonet to find easy foods that Ezra could take. Foods that would be easy on his stomach. She saved tabs so she could go to him later, trying to remember as much as she could before she felt the slow interest creeping through the Force. It was the sign that Ezra was awake as he was trying to figure out his new surroundings. Ahsoka was already turning off the holonet connection and took the bowl of food and placed it in the heating centre.

“Ezra, I’m in here,” Ahsoka called to him as she sensed the fear starting to creep into Ezra as he was trying to figure out his sudden surroundings, realizing it was somewhere completely new from where he went to bed.

Soon enough, Ezra was moving through the doorway to look at her, to get confirmation of her voice. He smiled with relief and Ahsoka offered him a smile as well.

“I’m heating up some breakfast for you,” Ahsoka told him. “I want to take you to a port today to get some new clothes. You think you’re up for that?” 

Ezra was walking to her and she moved a chair with him when she saw him starting to struggle. Soon, Ezra easily got up and to sit, a smile on his face from the thought of food. His eyes were already on the bowl, his hands starting to fidget together.

“You didn’t need to heat it up,” Ezra told her, the eagerness to eat the food seemed to be more important than the taste, though Ahsoka wasn’t surprised. 

The Togruta shrugged before she told him, “well, I think it will go down easier hot. It gets pretty hard when it’s cold.”

Ezra seemed to not hear her. His eyes were still on the bowl. Ahsoka let it go. The child went through enough. Hearing the beep, Ahsoka got the bowl and found a spoon for Ezra, looking at him.

Setting the bowl on the table, Ezra eagerly grabbed the spoon and brought the bowl closer, no manners in his actions, but Ahsoka didn’t say anything as he quickly began to eat, almost not seeing the spoon at all. 

Watching him, Ahsoka went into thinking again. He would be ready for the port soon enough. Once he ate then they could get going.

Wait!

Ahsoka stared at Ezra, who innocently looked up at him.

Pants. 

Ezra needed pants.

Ahsoka sighed and ran a hand down her face. She forgot that little detail since the shirt came down so far on Ezra. Maybe it would be fine…no Ezra needed some sort of pants.

The next million dollar question was:

_Where the kriff am I going to find children’s pants on this base?_

Ahsoka’s hand dropped and she stared down at Ezra again. Sensing her slight frustration, Ezra frowned and moved his weight from one foot to the other nervously. Ahsoka was so into her thoughts that she barely noticed.

_I don’t have any. My training shorts got ripped weeks ago…The storage room only has adult sizes…maybe if I could find som_ —

“Did…did I do something wrong?” Ezra asked, looking down nervously, still moving from one leg to the other.

The Togruta looked down at Ezra sharply, almost feeling a crack in her neck at how quickly it moved so that her eyes could set on their new gaze. Her blue eyes widened and a frown, a look of slight fear filled her expression. Immediately, Ahsoka moved her hands in front of her as though in a gentle stopping position and waved them lightly in panic, “what? Oh Ezra, no! Not at all! I’m just thinking about…a couple of things.”

Some slight problems.

Ahsoka sighed. A Force-Sensitive child around her emotions may have difficulties that she wasn’t thinking of. She’d have to remember that Ezra was very sensitive to emotions. He could sense people and their emotions and intentions well. That was what he had unknowingly practiced on the streets. He was a very well aware child and Ahsoka realized she would have to remember that, especially with the two of them not knowing each other well. Whatever feelings Ezra sensed in her, he took them personally. He knew Ahsoka was mad and thought it would be at him. He was overtly scared, she realized, not just because he didn’t know Ahsoka well enough but because he was worried.

He was worried about going back.

He was worried about being alone again.

She could sense his fear and uncertainty and it was written all over his face. 

Sighing once more when she saw the boy’s still nervous expression, Ahsoka moved her arms in despair and moved to kneel down in front of Ezra. The boy looked at her, their eyes at almost the same level. Ahsoka tried to open herself up more physically and in the Force to put him at ease and tried to force the worrying thoughts from her mind.

“Ezra, I promise I am not upset with you,” Ahsoka told him. “I am just thinking about what to dress you in. You should get some type of pants before we go to the port, and we are on a limited time schedule. I’m not at all upset with you, Ezra. I promise.”

She sensed that Ezra was trying to intro-inspect her again. It was an odd feeling. Have the Jedi always done this at the Temple? Had the younglings done this too and she was too young or too used to it to actually notice it? Maybe they did it more naturally, but it had been so long since she interacted with another Jedi that she wasn’t sure. Another possibility was that Ezra did it more forcefully, as though he had to to read his surroundings. It was a natural instinct even if he didn’t know that he was doing it, which is perhaps why it is so forceful and why he never refined it. 

Ahsoka let Ezra read her, however because she knew it would put him more at ease. The last thing she wanted was a panicked child that is off-world his home planet and feels stuck and trapped. That could be disastrous. Ezra was still new and he was reliant on her, and she was starting to realize it was more than she thought, so she had to be that person he felt safe to rely on.

She’d have to monitor herself a lot more.

Offering Ezra a smile when she felt I'm drift away from analyzing her, she sensed his ease. Ezra looked back up at her and Ahsoka nodded towards the steaming food on the table.

“While I go find you something to wear, you can have breakfast. It should be good on your stomach, but if you need to use it, the refresher is over there,” Ahsoka told him, pointing to the last doorway. She hoped that he wouldn’t throw up the food, but if she did, he hoped that he would make it to the refresher so that she didn’t need to clean it. “I’ll get out some holovids so you can watch those too, okay?”

Ezra nodded, his frown gone too. Ahsoka almost sighed with relief. She gave him a reassuring smile, hoping that it would actually reassure him. It seemed to, anyhow, as she watched Ezra move towards the table to eat his food. She watched him pull back the chair before she moved back to a standing position.

Already, she heard the fork making a small clanging noise against the bowl. She moved towards the table near the couch and brought the small projector over to Ezra at the table. She noticed that Ezra was eating the food as though he was quickly shovelling dirt out of the ground. Not wanting to embarrass him, Ahsoka left it alone. He still had old habits and considering he threw up what he ate yesterday she knew that he was hungry.

Checking the time, she thought it over in her head. The sooner she found something for Ezra to wear the quicker they would be able to actually leave for the port. 

“Ezra, I should be back soon,” Ahsoka told him, on her way out of the dorm.

However, Ezra’s sudden scared voice from behind her and the cold shiver in the Force made her stop.

“You’re leaving?” he asked her, his voice soft and scared, as though it was literally shaking.

The Togruta whirled around at the frightened tone. Ezra was staring up at her, frowning with a scared look in his eye.

_Modifications, Ahsoka. You need to remember his reassurance_ , she thought to herself.

“I’m not leaving the base, Ezra,” Ahsoka explained to him gently to try and ease his worry. “I’m going around to try and look at our supplies so that I can find you some pants to wear. I should be back shortly. Don’t leave this room, alright?”

Ezra hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded. At least he wasn’t frightened that she was going to leave him anymore.

Ahsoka gave him a last smile, hoping it would be enough before she left, shutting the door behind her. Going past the want to lean against the door and take another breath, Ahsoka looked around the hallway. It seemed almost like a different world. In her quarters Ahsoka had her own space, however it was still a part of the rebellion. She would look over maps and documents in there, she would think about what she would do that day, preparing for meetings like the one she would have later that day. Now it was almost like a separate space. She didn’t exactly know why. Surely it was more than just Ezra being there. She still thought of getting ready for tonight and getting all her notes and findings together, but for some reason it still seemed different. She realized that since Ezra is the only new object in the environment it must be him. But now she was out of that separate space and she was suddenly brought into a world of the fast-paced life of the rebellion again. The hallways were not full of crowds, but there was an active amount of people going past her from both ways trying to get to another destination. In the higher-ups quarters there were not as many people as they were in their own wing. It must be the morning crowd. 

Pushing her feet forward, Ahsoka carefully moved past the people. She was going more against the grain than she was going with it to get to the storage room.

However, she realized that the clothing inside was just as useful if she just decided to go with the grain and go with the others towards the mess hall. Most of the extra clothing they had were uniforms and pilot suits. It was understandable. Yes there were some extra, more casual clothes that could be found, but they were mostly found or donation from pilots who outgrew the clothing. They came in various sizes, yet all were still too large around the waist and there were no types of shorts. The pilots usually bought their own casual clothes at ports and they were worn rarely.

Leaving the storage room, Ahsoka had to think of another plan. She could ask the pilots and rebels for extra clothing if they had shorts to spare. Whether they fit or not was another thing to think about. Most of the pilots they had were pretty skinny, however also bulky. A lot of them came from farming families. And it wasn’t as though she could ask every single person on the base for pants. That would be far too impractical for the time restraint that she had.

Still deep in her thoughts, Ahsoka barely missed running right into Sato.

After their shoulders almost barging into each other, Ahsoka turned and stood there shocked at her mistake.

Yet as she opened her mouth to make an apology, Sato was already brushing it off with a slight laugh.

“Distracted are we?” he asked.

Still with wide eyes, she blinked a couple of times before Ahsoka admitted a little nervously, “ah…well…kind of. Sorry, Sato.”

“No need to worry,” Sato told her. “I’m guessing you’ve been busy this morning.”

Ahsoka nodded and explained, “yes. I’m hoping to get Ezra to a port to get him some clothing, but I’m thinking he should wear bottoms…you saw him last night he was just in that long shirt and I thought I should find him something else to wear before we go.”

Nodding, Sato agreed.

“Understandable,” he commented, “and how is our new recruitment doing?”

Ahsoka didn’t feel the smile that was starting to appear on her face.

“He slept all night…and slept in. He is eating right now and I’m hoping the mashed oats are easy on his stomach,” Ahsoka answered. “He seems both wide awake, yet still tired.”

“At least he is sleeping and eating,” Sato agreed.

Ahsoka had to stop herself from staring with an expression that would show how interested in Sato she became with the sudden remembrance that Sato was actually an uncle. Perhaps that was why he was so easy on the child and seemed to talk with an unlikely fondness.

“How is your search going?” Sato asked her.

Ahsoka sighed, wishing she could forget.

“Not too well. Storage room was a waste of time,” Ahsoka answered, her tone not making it difficult for him to hear her frustration.

Sato chuckled and thought for a moment before he commented, “you could have just got a pair of pants from the storage room and cut them.”

The Togruta’s eyes went wide in realization.

“Why didn’t I think of that?” She asked herself. That wasn’t the worse plan. Just get her lightsaber and cut the smallest pair of pants she could find. However there was a sudden afterthought that came almost as fast as the realization. “No, then I’d be wasting a good pair of pants.”

Sato nodded and chuckled.

“Then I wish you good luck,” he told her.

Ahsoka nodded and gave him a nervous smile.

“Yeah…I think the slightly embarrassed pilots are going to need that,” Ahsoka admitted.

The General could barely hold off another laugh before walking down the hallway. He didn’t have the breaks today like she was so graciously given. 

And she needed to get back to work to making use of it.

Turning on her heels, Ahsoka looked around the hallway.

_Where the kriff did everyone go?_

The hallway was in a wing more out of the way, but the movement of people went from around her hallway to hearing the chatter and footsteps a bit down the hall. There were still rooms in this hallway. More for visitors or extra rooms, butthere was people.

About to turn a corner to the next wing, Ahsoka heard the ‘swoosh’ of a door open. She turned her head and looked over her shoulder to see a surprise.

“Cassian?” she asked. He certainly wasn’t a face she often found around Phoenix Home. Cassian could normally be found on the home base of the rebellion, which was currently in moving position. Maybe that’s why he was here.

The man immediately turned and when he saw her, he offered her a smile.

“What are you doing here?” Ahsoka asked before another thought came into her mind, “actually, first question, how is that Captain exam going?”

The man shrugged, “still studying, but getting there. I take it in a couple of weeks.”

Nodding, Ahsoka offered him a smile. 

“Great! We could use you,” she told him.

“Thank you,” Cassian told her. “I was just getting something to eat…”

Ahsoka shook her head and nodded.

“Right! I won’t waste any more of your time!” Ahsoka told him.

Cassian nodded, giving her a last smile before turning. Turning as well, Ahsoka resumed her walk to the next wing.

That is until she stopped suddenly, a thought moving through her head in a single moment before she quickly turned around on her heels. Cassian was already walking down the hall.

Launching forward with quick steps to follow in her mission, Ahsoka moved down the hall with speed to catch up to Cassian.

“Wait! Cassian!” she called out to him, almost desperately.

Just as she was walking up to him, Cassian stopped and turned around slowly to face her, both confused and intrigued.

“Can I help you with something General?” the man asked.

Ahsoka looked him over, as though to confirm her thoughts from before. Hands at her hips, she looked back up at Cassian’s face, who was looking at her with an even more confused expression, though a small smile was starting to tug up the end of his lips.

“You’re a pretty skinny person, Cassian,” Ahsoka commented, a point to no one in particular.

The man stared at her in surprise for a couple of seconds before he looked down at hims. He let out a small chuckle and patted the sides of his legs. He looked back up at her, a grin on his face.

“Thank you, General,” Cassian told her.

Ahsoka’s eyes widened for a moment before she shook her head, one of her palms going up to gently hit the side of her head, “oh! Oh no, sorry Cassian!”

She giggled a bit herself, before looking back at Cassian, “I mean that your clothing is probably in a smaller size.”

Now the man looked even more confused. Ahsoka sighed and tried again.

“No…I…” she sighed and explained, “it’s a long story…but long story, made short I brought this kid from Lothal from my last mission but he doesn’t have any clothes. I was going to buy some today for him at the nearest port however he doesn’t have any pants and we aren’t stocked up in his size. I’ve been reduced to asking people if they have shorts he could wear.”

The look of incredulous disbelief he gave her made Ahsoka want to bang her palm against her head, but soon it changed and he nodded, a look of thought coming to his face shortly after.

“Uh…I might have something. How old is he?” Cassian asked.

“Eight,” Ahsoka answered a littler nervously, “and…small.”

The man nodded, thinking for a moment.

“Mine may be a bit big,” Cassian answered.

“I can tie it with a belt,” Ahsoka answered. “I just thought that he needs something to wear other than a long shirt.”

Cassian nodded.

“Got it, uh, I’ll meet you in your room, whether I find something or not?” Cassian asked.

Ahsoka nodded and clasped her hands together, “excellent! You’re a life saver!”

Before Cassian could make another witty comment, Ahsoka turned around to hastily make her way back to her room and back to Ezra. The child was probably done eating by now and was wondering where she was. Ahsoka was still partially on her mission. So, after Cassian stood in the hallway for a couple of seconds, still slightly confused, he made his way to his room.

As Ahsoka moved her way to her room, she stopped outside the door and her face twisted.

_Why is Cassian on Phoenix Base?_

_Not now,_ she thought. 

Once Ahsoka entered her room, she saw that her assumptions were right and Ezra was waiting for her on the couch, still watching the holo vid and the brightly coloured cartoons while the dirty, but empty bowl on the table beside him. When he turned to her, his face moving slowly as his eyes could barely move away from the tv, Ahsoka offered him a rushed and tired smile and shut the door behind her.

“I think I found you some shorts…well pants you can wear,” she told him.

“So we’re leaving soon?” he asked her.

Ahsoka nodded a couple of times before she moved forward, walking more into the room.

“Yeah, we should be leaving soon,” she answered him, moving to get ready herself. As she moved back into her room, she noted the messy bed and forced herself to ignore it as she went to grab her bag for the trip. She checked how much credits that she had. After counting them, she weighted them over in her mind. It would be enough for a couple of outfits at least. She would have to make a supply run herself to get more, but she could do that later. At least Ezra would have clean clothes, and ones that fit him too.

After placing the credits in her pouch, Ahsoka was placing the strap around her shoulders when she heard the knock at her door. Moving quickly out of the room, she noticed that Ezra was now staring at the door. She could sense his fear at the idea of the new person he didn’t know coming into his closed in safety space and Ahsoka quickly told him as she made her way to the doorway, “it’s alright, Ezra. It’s just a friend. He might have something you can wear.”

She looked over her shoulder as she stopped, her hand hovering over the button to open the door. She saw his still worried face. Thinking for a moment, Ahsoka moved to create more reassurance for him.

“Ezra, there is no one here on this base that is bad,” Ahsoka promised him. “You can trust everyone on this ship. If it helps you, _I_ trust everyone on this base and I wouldn’t let anyone bad come near you to hurt you. Everyone on this base is safe.”

There was still hesitance, however in the end Ezra did nod. The small boy suddenly wished for a blanket to partially hide under. Ahsoka made the mental note that she had to find more things to say, or at least different things so that she could help him feel more secure around the base. 

Pressing the button, the door opened and she saw Cassian standing in front of the door, some folded up clothing in his hand. Ezra was already curling slightly on the couch, eyeing the newcomer very carefully. 

Ahsoka turned and told the child gently, “Ezra, this is Cassian. He might have something you can wear.”

Cassian offered the child a smile from the doorway before holding up his shorts, “yes, I was able to find some shorts.”

Still sensing Ezra’s fear, Ahsoka frowned and then turned to Cassian. The two made eye contact and Ahsoka thought of something. She would give 

“Sorry Cassian, could you wait out here?” Ahsoka asked him. 

The man looked towards Ezra again before understanding. He nodded and took a step back, as though the extra space would make a lot of difference. Well, maybe it would. Ahsoka didn’t know, but she could sense that not much was changing in the Force about his comfortability until Ahsoka shut the door again.

Walking over to Ezra, Ahsoka gave him a reassuring smile and offered the shorts to him.

“You can change into these in the refresher. I’ll wait out here,” Ahsoka told him.

She watched Ezra nod and stare at the shorts for a moment before making his way slowly to the refresher. Ahsoka watched him leave and afterwards she let out the tension in her shoulders. Ezra had more clothes to cover him. Then they could get going to the port and hopefully that would leave Ahsoka with plenty of time to make it to the meeting without having to rush too much. At least all of her notes and data she would share was done. 

It wasn’t too much longer when Ahsoka heard the refresher door open, though she was sure that it felt longer to Cassian who was still waiting outside for any news. During that time, Ahsoka was putting the dish in the trash and cleaning up before she heard the door open again and soft, stumbled and awkwardly paced footsteps.

“Umm…Ahsoka?” she heard his small voice.

Turning around, Ahsoka was faced with Ezra coming back from down the small hallway very carefully and almost stumbling with every step. Ahsoka saw him trying to hold up the shorts under the shirt because it was still too lose. Ahsoka had to keep from giggling because she knew that it would make Ezra more self-conscious. Ezra looked up at her and she already understood the question through his expression.

“I’ll give you one of my belts. that should be able to keep it up,” the Togruta told him, already moving towards the bedroom. 

Going through her clothing, she was easily able to find the other belts and found one that would be easy to fit around the shorts. Going back, Ahsoka saw Ezra still waiting patiently, still holding up the shorts. She gave him a smile as she moved the belt around, tightening it so that it would stay on while making sure that it also wasn’t too tight. Afterwards, Ezra lowered his hands and the shirt therefore lowered as well. Ahsoka stared for a couple of seconds, as though to count for a couple of seconds to ensure that the sorts would stay on. They did, but even with the shorts all the way up to his upper chest, they were still pretty long on him, but they would work.

Ahsoka gave him a smile.

“Looks like they will fit for now. You ready to go?” Ahsoka asked him, her hands going to her hips.

Ezra nodded. She smiled again before she watched him put on his shoes again. She almost grimaced with how broken they were, but she kept silent. It was not up to Ezra’s choosing. And those shoes must hurt.

Opening the door, she saw that Cassian was still there, though leaning against the wall on the other side of the hallway. He looked up when the door opened and Ahsoka could sense Ezra’s sudden awareness and cautiousness again. He moved closer to Ahsoka. She didn’t know why Ezra was so cautious of strangers, even if he could sense Cassian was not a threat. The other people walking by, looking at Ezra probably did not put the child any more at ease. She wasn’t so sure she wanted to know either, though it would likely come up. Maybe it was the fact that Ezra felt more enclosed on the ship, that he couldn’t run to save himself like he could back on Lothal. 

Cassian could easily see the wariness on the child’s face and kept his distance as the others passed.

“Thank you, Cassian,” Ahsoka told him, “I’ll give them back to you soon.”

The man just smiled up at her before looking back down at Ezra. The boy looked at him cautiously and Ahsoka could sense that Ezra was trying to sense what he could, sensing if Cassian was safe. 

“Take your time, glad I could help.” Cassian told them before kneeling down to be more at level with Ezra. He stared at the boy and told him, “nice to meet you. I hope you stick around.”

Ahsoka smiled at the interaction and watched Cassian stand back up. He gave them a nod and walked off, going to…wherever he was going. She would have to ask him about that later.

Ahsoka looked down at Ezra as a couple of other pilots went past them. She noticed he was looking at the other people with cautious eyes too. Ahsoka gently set a hand on his shoulder, making the child turn up to look at her. It would be a slightly difficult travel to get him back to the ship with so many people, but she could take him the long way, the path of less crowds. 

“Just stick to me, okay?” Ahsoka told him.

Ezra nodded. Ahsoka gave him a reassuring smile and shut the door to her quarters, moving to walk with Ezra, the child moving closely and Ahsoka could almost always feel him by her legs, his shirt or arm brushing up against her. 

Feeling his anxiety go up as they went down more populated hallways, Ahsoka tried to distract him.

“Cassian, the man back there, he was raised in the rebellion,” Ahsoka told him.

The child looked back up at her and his eyebrows raised in interest.

“Really?” he asked.

Ahsoka nodded.

“Yes,” Ahsoka confirmed. Maybe Cassian would be a good person to keep around to help Ezra. Ahsoka didn’t know how long Ezra would be here, but Cassian could help him. He knew what it was like to be raised in a rebellion, in the workings like that.

The conversation seemed to take off the edge in Ezra. So, Ahsoka kept thinking about questions.

“What’s your favourite colour?” Ahsoka asked him. Perhaps thinking of something he liked would make him feel better as they walked. And it would help her to get to know him better and forget the stares that they were recieving.

That seemed to do the trick. Ezra’s face lit up and almost all worries fell away. 

“Orange!” Ezra declared.

Ahsoka smiled and looked at her hand, staring at the orange skin.

“That’s not a bad colour,” Ahsoka told him with a smile.

 

* * *

 

Ahsoka found a nearby port, though making sure to never go to the one closest. There were things she needed to be wary of, habits that she grew into over the years of working with the rebellion and needing to stay under cover. Usually she never left the bases. Only about a quarter of people in the rebellion actually knew who she was, and even those who knew, knew that they had to keep her a secret. She was Fulcrum and her identity was secret. However, once-in-a-while runs to a port where she never visited, or ever would again, were not too much of a threat. However, she still kept her heightened awareness. 

She found a small port, very small. It didn’t even have ship parts, just places to go to get them or where to order them in a booklet. It was a very, very small moon, practically not even called that with it’s size. It had a couple of different stores for short pit-stops and stops to restock small supplies. But, it would do it’s job.

Stepping inside, Ahsoka could already see the only four rows of different miscellaneous items and some small food and ration packs. The store was older, almost run-down. It was almost dead silent. Not even music was playing.

Seeing the male Ishi Tib at the till stare at her and the child, Ahsoka could sense Ezra’s nervousness before they even fully saw the man. He took a step closer to Ahsoka and she looked down at him, trying to ease him into comfortableness again. 

“I’ll be in the store the entire time,” Ahsoka assured him, a hand on his shoulder to help him feel physical closeness. She looked up and then down the aisles to see a small pile of shirts of different colours. She doubted they would be of any great quality, but they would do for clothing for Ezra.

Pointing to the aisle with the shirts, Ahsoka told him with a smile, “why don’t you look for some shirts that you want. You can pick…nine or ten of ones you really like. A small size should fit you.”

The Togruta watched Ezra’s eyes light up again.

“Really?” he asked.

Ahsoka nodded. Sure, at least nine would be enough. It would give some for all week and extra in case he needed it. Already, Ezra was running after the confirmation and to the clothing. She didn’t know that a boy would get so excited over clothes but she deducted that there were reasons for it. Ezra didn’t have clean clothes for a while. Maybe he was just excited to get something new for a change. 

As Ezra started working through the clothing section, Ahsoka was working through some of the shelves as well. She picked up some different coloured socks that Ezra would need. 

And that got her into thinking very carefully and hard about socks. Socks of all things when she would be in a meeting and telling the rest of the rebels about her findings on Lothal and to advocate it as a base. She got to thinking about what size of socks Ezra would need. She was sure a small but, looking at the sizes on the bag. She was sure Ezra would be a small, that wasn’t a problem. The problem was what he would need. He would need some normal ones, but what if they were not comfortable or soft enough. I mean, they were socks but it would be nice if Ezra had comfortable socks after not having them for…who knows how long. She was so used to issued socks from the Temple to the Rebellion, but even the rebellion wouldn’t have socks small enough for Ezra’s feet that she could fall back to. But would Ezra also need thermal socks? Most likely, although the base didn’t get that cold and Yavin 4 was rather warm. It would be good to at least get one pack. Placing one pack under her arm, Ahsoka looked at the general socks and grabbed a pair of the normal pack. However, she froze with the pack still in her hand. A pack would be enough right? How many socks would she be able to get through when she was his age? The Temple training could be hard on socks, but they may have been better quality. But Ezra wouldn’t be in a lot of training or activity on the ship…but on Yavin 4 he could. 

It was so odd for her to feel so clueless and over her head over _socks_.

She shook her head, as though shaking herself out of her thoughts. She grabbed a second general pack just in case. And if Ezra didn’t need them, she could put them in storage with the general uniforms for whatever child could be on the base. 

Looking down the aisle and shelves a bit, she then saw the packs of undergarments. Staring at them, Ahsoka’s thoughts went a mile a minute again and she had to physically whisper to herself, ‘Ahsoka no’ to keep herself from sinking into the thoughts that she had gone through with the socks, immediately grabbing a small pair of thermal and regular underwear before stopping to think and grabbing a second pack. 

Feeling her arms get full, Ahsoka took a step back and strained her head a little to look at the Ishi Tib at the counter.

“Do you have any bags or carts?” she asked.

The man stared at her and just shrugged, “no.”

Ahsoka nodded, still trying to keep the six packs in her hands without letting them fall. 

“Okay, would I be able to keep these on the counter?” Ahsoka asked, trying to maintain a polite voice.

The man just looked around at his counter.

“I guess. I don’t like clutter though,” he answered.

It was a good enough answer. Trying to hold back her annoyed expression, Ahsoka set the packs on the counter. She didn’t give the Ishi Tib another glance before looking back to Ezra. The excitement and fascination sweeping the Force around him was refreshing. She didn’t think that even a young boy would be this excited about new clothes but she wouldn’t slow his excitement down. 

She smiled as she walked over to him, seeing how he already had some shirts hanging from his arm as he was going through the small pile.

“What did you find?” Ahsoka asked him, still smiling. 

She watched as the child turned around to look back at her. His entire face seemed to brighten when he had a genuine smile on his face. He held out the seven shirts that he had already, trying to hold them all out at once, not realizing that he was getting a little ahead of himself. But Ahsoka let him be, just watching him as he quickly showed her every shirt. Most of them were orange in colour with some type of cheap design or none at all, but he also had a green shirt and two blue ones. There was also one yellow one with a black design of some outline of an animal Ahsoka didn’t recognize.

She smiled and told him, “those look great!”

Ezra smiled proudly before he turned back to the pile. “Only two more to go.”

The Togruta smiled and watched him move through the pile again. Ahsoka moved next to Ezra and looked at the pants that they had for kids. She looked through the small sizes before picking up a pair of loose black pants. She held them up and then looked to Ezra, who was still bent over to go look through the shirts. 

“Ezra, stand up for a moment,” Ahsoka told him.

The boy immediately obeyed, turning to look at her. She gave him a smile as he gave her a puzzled look. She held out the pants to him to measure how they would look on him. Ezra stayed still besides looking down at her to watch her work. Ahsoka stared at the pants and how they would fit. They would fit around the waist fine. They were a little short, but they would be good for now.

She looked back up at Ezra and told him, “just checking. Try and find those two other shirts.”

The boy stared at her, a smile slowly spreading again before he turned, going back to his hunt. Ahsoka kept up her smile as she turned back to the pile of pants on the shelves. She went through them, grabbing a couple of black and a couple of blue pants. Placing them over her arm, Ahsoka stood back up fully before looking around. While Ezra was looking, there were other things she could look for. Looking along the shelves of clothes, she saw a couple of sweaters. Walking over to inspect, she saw that there was only two larges and one medium in the child sizes. She picked up the only medium one. While it would be big on Ezra, it would at least keep him warm. It was a very dark blue and hopefully Ezra wouldn’t need it too much and that the base wouldn’t be too cold.

Placing that over her arm as well, Ahsoka moved to think of other things Ezra could need. Walking a bit away to go down another aisle, Ahsoka found different toiletries and could feel her mind light up with a thought.

Walking down, she was quickly picking up things that Ezra would need. Ezra would need a toothbrush and toothpaste. She also managed to slip some child hair cleaner products under her arm. She didn’t have that and Ezra would need it, at least until she found a place he could go. 

Looking over the tops of the shelves, Ahsoka saw Ezra looking over a long sleeved shirt. Thinking, she realized he would need a hairbrush. Taking another step down, Ahsoka found just that. 

Another thought came to mind.

Shoes.

What else was on this sudden list she was trying to make in her mind?

Turning with full arms again, Ahsoka tried to find shoes by going along the aisles, but she found that it was a lost cause. She would have to go to another port later to try and find some shoes for Ezra. As broken as they were, that’s what would have to do for now.

Ahsoka could hear Ezra’s eager footsteps running across the floor, almost echoing off of the walls. The Togruta turned to see Ezra running over to her, arms full of shirts. Ahsoka smiled and asked him, “find them?”

Ezra nodded eagerly and walked with Ahsoka up to the counter. Both set their things down and Ahsoka was already getting out her credits as the man counted up the products and cost. Ezra waited patiently, keeping to Ahsoka as they waited. Ahsoka looked around one last time, still surprised that at least one person did not come in yet while they were there. It was a more deserted port than she thought. She would need to remember that if she needed to make quick runs back here, for whatever supplies she was sure she forgot.

Her smile deteriorated slightly when she noticed his yawn. Her white lines above her eyes moved closer together as she looked down at Ezra, slightly surprised and a little concerned before the Ishi Tab stated the total cost. Ahsoka’s gaze snapped to him and she nodded, trying to offer a smile before she paid the credits. She got to look down at Ezra again when the clothing was being placed into bags, but by then Ezra looked normal and was looking up at her with a smile. She tried not to look and feel too concerned. Luckily with Ezra’s excitement he couldn’t sense her concern. She knew that it was just a yawn but it bothered her. Ezra not only slept in, he had a long night’s rest too. Had he really worn himself just looking at clothing?

Ahsoka tried to place it in the back of her mind, carrying the bags of things back to the ship, Ezra following at her heels.

At least one thing was done. And looking at the clock, she knew that she had plenty of time to get home. With the bags in tow and set near Ezra’s seat, Ahsoka was making her way back to the base, feeling both worried and accomplished, which was not such a new batch of feelings for her. She knew her mind should go to the accomplishment, that Ezra would actually wear clothing, but …

“Ahsoka?”

Turning her head quickly, Ahsoka’s gaze soon fell onto Ezra as he sat in his seat calmly. She tried to carefully read him in the Force. He wasn’t worried or necessarily happy like he was in the store but, it was a feeling of gratitude.

“Yes, Ezra?” she asked.

The boy smiled a little shyly and then answered her, “thank you.”

The smile on Ahsoka’s face was quick to come. It was soft, yet relieving for her to feel as she regarded Ezra as he say calm.

“You’re welcome, Ezra,” she told him.

Although she wanted to be glad about buying Ezra’s things in time to go to the meeting, her fears were only fuelled again when they got back and almost an hour later Ezra was back to sleeping. All she could try to focus on was his feeling of excitement. 

At least whenever she thought about that, a smile almost appeared instantly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezra gets his first check-up.

**Chapter Three**

 

“Are you sure that she is going to be nice?” Ezra asked nervously, biting his nail as he and Ahsoka walked through the med-bay hallway towards the room they were told to move into. Ezra moved tentatively, looking around with darting eyes as they looked for dangers. Ezra cringed and hid behind Ahsoka’s legs as a medical droid moved past them, barely giving notice to the two.

Ahsoka looked down at him, walking at Ezra’s pace so he felt she was at his side. 

The Togruta nodded and when the droid went past, leaving them alone in the hallway, Ahsoka turned to kneel in front of Ezra. He looked at her nervously and she could see how uncomfortable he was in the new atmosphere. The fear she was sensing from him was even making herself a little jumpy.

“Ezra, I promise that Dr. Langill is nice. She won’t do anything to harm you. And I’ll stay the entire time,” Ahsoka assured him gently. “Everyone on this base is someone I trust. I’d never bring you to someone who I thought would hurt you. Would you at least trust me on that?”

Ezra thought for a brief moment before nodding. Ahsoka supposed that the fear of the doctor may not just be because Ezra was in new surroundings, but perhaps he had his own bad experiences at doctors he’d been to before. No matter what the reasons were, Ahsoka wanted him to feel safe here.

This morning Ahsoka had managed to message the doctor on the Base before eating breakfast with Ezra this morning. The Togruta was sure that Ezra would feel more comfortable meeting an actual person rather than a droid for a check-up so the message had to be more direct than just making an appointment. The child felt comfortable waiting in the room while she got him the bowl of oatmeal and nuts and by the time Ahsoka was done eating, Dr. Filli Langill had messaged back saying that she could meet with her and Ezra within a couple of hours. 

Ezra had been a little antsy all morning, but she managed to get him out the door without any problems. That didn’t mean the young boy was nervous though.

However, Ahsoka could sense some slight relief from Ezra as she spoke to him. He was hoping and reaching to trust her. He nodded after a couple of moments and Ahsoka smiled a little again. She stood back up and the two began walking again, finding C room unlocked. Opening the door, Ahsoka led Ezra into a slightly dull though clean, white metal room. There was a stretcher bed at the wall and on the other side, there was a sink and some medical instruments on it. 

“You can wait up on the stretcher, Ezra,” Ahsoka told him, watching Ezra then move forward to step up on it. 

Just as Ezra was sitting comfortably on the edge, the door opened again and Ahsoka watched a tall, black-haired human come into the room holding a datapad. The woman offered her a smile, her dark skin glowing in the light of the room. Instinctively, Ezra moved back a bit from the woman as she came into the room and moved a couple of steps closer to where he was sitting. As the door shut behind her, the woman was already talking.

“Hello. You must be Ezra. I’m Dr. Langill,” the woman told him gently.

Ahsoka gave the doctor a smile when she turned to look at her. 

“And good afternoon, Ahsoka. It’s good to see you again,” he doctor smiled.

“It’s nice to see you as well,” Ahsoka confirmed.

The doctor looked back towards Ezra and noticed that he was still eyeing her carefully. Making sure to keep her distance, Dr. Langill got her data pad ready. This was not the first patient she met who was weary of a doctor, however, she herself couldn’t believe how skinny Ezra looked, even in the obviously new shirt.

“Well, Ezra, hopefully this won’t take too long. I’m just going to ask you a couple of questions first to make your profile. If you don’t know the answer to a question, that is perfectly alright,” Dr. Langill said, making sure that her tone was relatively low and gentle while keeping her distance so that he felt safer. “Can you tell me your full name, how old you are, and what your birthday is?”

Ezra nodded. That seemed simple enough. Telling her, the doctor quickly notes it down before she looked up at Ezra and smiled, noticing that he didn’t seem as tense in his shoulders. 

“Would you feel alright if we moved more into the appointment now, Ezra?” she asked. “You’d be moving around and I’ll be a little closer to you now.”

Ezra turned to Ahsoka, worry keeping both through the Force and on his features. 

“You’ll stay here?” Ezra asked her.

The Togrtua nodded, offering him a small smile.

“I promise. I’ll stay in eyesight for the whole appointment,” Ahsoka promised him.

The younger boy hesitated, staring up at her before he finally nodded. Both Ahsoka and Dr. Langill smiled and the doctor set her data pad down on a nearby counter.

“Excellent, Ezra!” the doctor told him, hoping her slight enthusiasm would help to ease him. Ahsoka couldn’t stop but smile at the doctor’s try to make Ezra more comfortable. Dr. Langill was always good with kids. It constantly surprised Ahsoka that she was working through a rebel base rather than as a paediatrician. She would be good at it. 

Motioning to the large metal scale, the doctor told Ezra, “I think I’ll want to start with your weight and height, alright? It’s pretty simple, Ezra. All I need is for you to is stand on this scale.”

Ezra hesitated, staring at the scale that the doctor was motioning to before he moved to step up on it. Dr. Langill was already changing things to set the measurements up, moving the stoppers closer to Ezra’s height as she was gently directing Ezra about what to do.

“Can you stand on it with your back against the ruler, Ezra,” she told him. “And just stand still and flat on your feet. Not on your tip-toes or slouching. You back straight and feet flat please.”

Listening to the instructions, Ahsoka watched him follow them to the best of his ability as he turned on the scale, now facing her. When he smiled towards her, she smiled back, watching him straighten his back as the doctor moved down the stoppers until it was against the top of Ezra’s head. 

Waiting patiently, Ezra was silent as the doctor took her data pad again and recorded the two measurements. Ahsoka easily saw the woman do a double take on the screen for the weight, but then in the end marked it down anyway. Ahsoka felt her stomach start to turn, but tried not to let it show. She could ask Filli about it after.

“Perfect, Ezra! Now you can go and sit on the bed,” Dr. Langill told him, already moving the stoppers back up.

The young boy looked up at the doctor in surprise.

“That’s it?!” he asked.

Dr. Langill looked back down at him and smiled, “that’s it! That’s not too hard, is it?”

Ezra shook his head before he looked towards the bed, moving towards it. The young boy felt a lot more at ease now, hoping that all of the tasks would be just as simple and easy. Ezra was definitely not as scared and nervous as he was before and it made Ahsoka breath a sigh of relief as she watched him move to sit on the edge of the bed.

Moving herself to stand against the wall, Ahsoka still made sure that she was near. Ezra turned to look at her, as though to see for himself that she was still there and Ahsoka gave him a reassuring smile. 

The doctor came forward again, this time with her stethoscope and a black, bandage-like patch that was connected to a metre.

“I’m just going to take your blood pressure, Ezra, while I listen to your heartbeats. The patch will go on your arm, but it won’t hurt,” Dr. Langill told him, bringing up the small patch so that he could feel it. “See? It will just attach to your arm and that’s it.”

Ezra stared at her before looking over the small patch. Finally, he nodded tentatively and let Dr. Langill move his shirt sleeve up to put it on his upper arm. Almost instantly, the patch attached itself through self sticking and pulsing mechanism before it beeped a couple of times, indicating it was getting ready for a reading. Neither for the touch nor the beeping did Ezra flinch.

Leaning back, Dr. Langill placed the earpieces of her stethoscope in her ears and told Ezra, “With this I’m going to listen to your heart. Just try to relax as much as you can.”

The boy nodded before he tried to breathe deeply for her. His eyes went up to Ahsoka and she gave him a smile back as Dr. Langill pressed the base of the stethoscope on his chest, listening quietly. Even now Ahsoka could see that he was starting to get a bit more comfortable around the doctor. Ahsoka wondered if Ezra knew he was using the Force or not.

When the beeping went off again, the reader signalling that it had a reading, the doctor leaned back as well, and gave Ezra a smile.

“Your heartbeat and lungs sound strong Ezra, that’s great.” the doctor told him, moving to take the patch off and read the metre. Recording the numbers on her datapad, the doctor moved to sit up from the side of the bed and put the equipment back on the counter at the other side. Going into a drawer, the doctor came back with a small pinch file and something that Ahsoka didn’t recognize but looked like a small rubber hammer with a pointed end instead of flat. 

She knew what was coming and she eyed Ezra carefully for his reaction. The boy didn’t seem to recognize either of them, but perhaps his comfortability made him more curious than fearful as he stared at the things. He had trust in Dr. Langill. She had not hurt him yet.

Dr. Langill kept a bit more of a distance as well, knowing that these two things could make him more nervous and agitated. Ahsoka watched her pick up the hammer-thing, before explaining to the child.

“Ezra, this is just going to test your reflexes. It won’t hurt, and is pretty soft, see,” Dr. Langill made a demonstration by flexing the pointed end down. Ezra held out his hand and pushed down on it as well, noticing the texture for himself. “I’m just going to gently hit your knee cap, alright. It won’t hurt a bit.”

Ezra nodded. Ahsoka watched him tense slightly again as Dr. Langill slowly got into position, but it went away by the time the pointed end hit his knee cap. Ahsoka watched it hit him and after a second, Ezra’s knee kicked up. The doctor’s brows furrowed slightly before she did the same to the other knee. As Ezra’s leg kicked up again, the boy smiled a bit.

“That’s funny,” he admitted, giggling slightly.

Ahsoka almost laughed in her sigh with relief.

The doctor smiled as well. 

“See, not so hard,” Dr. Langill told him. She used it one more time on both knees before setting it down beside her with the other. She looked back at Ezra and then asked him, “do any of your bones hurt, Ezra? Like in your arms or legs?”

Ezra shook his head.

“Have you ever hurt them?” she asked.

Ezra thought for a moment before he answered, “one time, a long time ago. I think it was my sixth birthday, I broke my wrist. But it’s all healed,” Ezra answered proudly.

“Can I feel just to make sure?” she asked. 

Ezra nodded, holding out his left wrist to her. Taking it gently, the woman carefully felt the bones around the wrist. After a couple of seconds, the doctor smiled and let go of his wrist.

“You’re right, Ezra. It seems to be all healed,” the doctor confirmed. “Have you hurt anything else?”

Ezra shook his head. Ahsoka could only think about how lucky that was. Ezra living on the street and with his brittle bones, she couldn’t believe that he hadn’t broken or sprained more bones while on the street. Or at least, she hoped so. But she wouldn’t think Ezra would lie.

The doctor nodded and told him.

“Well, Ezra, we’re just about done! You did extremely well,” the doctor told him with a smile. She turned back and grabbed the box-like device and showed it to the boy. “The last thing that I want to do is take a very small sample of your blood. It will just read some of your vitamin and iron levels. All you’ll feel is a small pinch from this and then a small dose of blood will go onto this strip. 

Ezra stared at the device and then at Dr. Langill for a couple of moments in slight weariness before he nodded. Dr. Langill gave him a reassuring smile and moved to place the small pincher part of the device, kind of like a small needle to prick on his upper arm. Dr. Langill spoke with calm ease and narrated, “you’ll feel the pinch in three…two…one…”

Ahsoka didn’t hear it, but she could see when Ezra tensed up before his shoulders immediately slacked again. Already, the Doctor was placing the small strip against the small bleeding prick before watching it stop. Placing the strip into the device and on a chip, the doctor smiled and walked to the counter.

“And that was it, Ezra! That was your basic, quick check-up. While those readings are being sent to my datapad, I’m going to just quick put a small bandage on you and then you’ll be all ready to go,” the doctor explained, placing the device down on the counter and going through a cabinet to get a small basket of different bandages and a small cleaning swab.

“That’s it?” Ezra asked.

The doctor smiled as she set the basket down beside Ezra, moving to clean the small wound for good measure before putting it in the bio-hazard waste bin.

“That’s it! Pretty easy, huh?” she asked.

Ezra nodded, already looking through the bandages.

“Can I have that one?” he asked, an orange one with different polka-dot colours.

The doctor nodded and moved to put it on. Ezra was already smiling, looking down at the band-aid. Ahsoka never felt so pleased with a decision she made to have the real doctor look over Ezra rather than a droid. If it was a droid, no way would Ezra feel this safe and comfortable with anything, especially the blood test. Dr. Langill was definitely more impressionable and personal.

Afterwards, the doctor moved towards her data pad and was already reviewing all of the readings that the blood test was revealing. When that was done, she looked up at Ahsoka and gave the two guests a smile.

“Ezra, now that we are done, can I quick talk to Ahsoka out in the hall?” she asked.

The boy nodded and Ahsoka gave him a smile.

“I’ll be right back,” she assured him, but it seemed like it wasn’t needed. 

Stepping out, Ahsoka moved closer to the Doctor so that they could talk a bit more quietly. Thankfully, there didn’t seem to be any other patients or even droids going by. However, this was near the end of the med-bay so that made sense. Perhaps that is why Dr. Langill chose this room.

“I’m glad that you brought him in,” the human woman said.

“How is he?” Ahsoka asked a little nervously, not realizing that there was a brick in her stomach.

The doctor thought for a moment before answering, “he definitely seems to be following a lot of malnutrition symptoms. For his size, he has quite the strong heart and lungs. I was worried that he may have congestion in his lungs or something else from illness but he’s pretty strong,” Dr. Langill explained. “However, I’m glad that you still brought him in. If he was any smaller I’d say he would be in real danger. But I think with him being here and with regular check-ups he will be okay.”

“He’s awfully tired a lot of the time,” Ahsoka commented to her. “Or he tires out easily. Yesterday when we went to a port he was fine and attentive, but as we were leaving, he was just about falling asleep in his seat and slept by the time we got back. And he slept for hours too.”

The doctor nodded understandingly.

“He’ll be like that until he regains some weight and energy,” Dr. Langill confirmed to Ahsoka. “Because food is energy, if someone doesn't get it then it can leave them extremely tired a lot of the time. If Ezra feels like he wants to take extra long naps, or more than one within a short period, let him. The sleep will help him reenergize and it will help him to grow. That should come with regular, healthy meals, but don’t be too alarmed if it doesn’t come quickly. It may take a couple of weeks to see a real, noticeable difference with Ezra’s weight. My suggestion is to record how long he sleeps, how many times he needs naps, how long they are, etc. That way you can record if he starts to keep up energy and his sleeping habits change.”

Ahsoka nodded, making a mental note to create a separate page on her data pad's notepad for Ezra’s note-taking. She didn’t know how long he would be on the base, but at least she could keep an eye on some of the physical habits to see if there is any change.

“His sugar is also a little low,” Dr. Langill told Ahsoka. The Togruta looked over at her, and the doctor quickly dispelled her fears, “it’s not threatening or anything, and it is likely from the malnutrition. However I would like to monitor it just in case.”

Ahsoka nodded again. Gulping, she forced out the question she had been worrying about ever since she had first seen Ezra.

“How’s his weight?” Ahsoka asked nervously. 

The doctor eyed her, as though wondering if she should really say, but in the end, the doctor did answer.

“That’s the most pressing thing right now,” she explained. “Ezra is almost 30 pounds under what he should be.”

Ahsoka’s eyes almost bulged out of her head as they widened so much. Thirty? _Thirty?_ She knew Ezra was underweight, but…the number was larger than she thought. That’s almost a crisis, isn’t it?!

“Right now though, we need to start getting him set up on new habits and regular meals,” the doctor told Ahsoka. “If he’s going to stay with you, then you need to watch his weightand how he eats.”

“Of course,” Ahsoka agreed, not yet feeling the twinge of protective responsibility that she had just yet.

“You need to keep him on regular meals,” Dr. Langill instructed the Togruta. “No binge eating. He might still try, so monitor how much he eats at a time. It’ll likely be out of habit to try and eat as much as he can. But regular, three course meals and two snacks in the day if you can.”

Ahsoka nodded almost blindly, understanding the words and filing the instructions in her mind, but she could still feel something, as though something was slowly starting to settle on her shoulders.

“Is he keeping food down?” Dr. Langill asked Ahsoka, getting ready to enter the information in the data pad as well.

“A couple of days ago he threw up his lunch, but yesterday and this morning he kept everything down,” Ahsoka answered her. “He had a bowl of oats for all meals, but I didn’t know what else I could give him that his stomach could take.”

The doctor nodded.

“I’d definitely keep him on that for breakfasts. Add some fruit in as well if the Mess has it,” the doctor told her. “The first time he has it, depending on what it is, he may throw it up, but if he can take the mashed oats then he will probably be able to take different fruits.”

Ahsoka nodded, taking in the mental notes as well.

“I’ll also give you a list of supplements you can get and put in his food. His Vitamin levels are very low and I would like to see those come back up,” the doctor was already seemingly writing the list on the data pad as she spoke. “There are some protein powders that I have on hand for the rest of the pilots on the base and I have a couple of the vitamins, but you’ll have to make a stop at a port for the others.”

Nodding again, Ahsoka tried not to take in a deep breath. She didn’t want any feelings of panic and feeling overwhelmed to show on her face. She didn’t know whether that was to just make her feel better to look like she knew what she was doing for others or if she was still trying to convince herself. She was sure there was talk about her around the base suddenly taking care of a young child. Perhaps she felt to prideful to not let people see that she couldn’t take on this responsibility. And honestly, she didn’t want to think that she shouldn’t either. She’d led men off to war, she shouldn’t feel so overwhelmed.

Yet it did, but such a different way than she had felt overwhelming fear and nervousness before.

The doctor was barely looking up at her before asking, “Just keep watch over his weight and diet. Simple foods, mostly organic, are what will be good for him. Rich things like fruits and vegetables can be taken in small doses for now. Let him take all the rest that he needs. The vitamins and powders will come with instructions and I’ve listed some off as well.”

The doctor looked up at her and offered Ahsoka a small smile. No doubt the Togruta was feeling just slightly overwhelmed by all the instructions.

“It’s easier than you think. And if you happen to have any questions, just contact me,” the doctor said. “I’d like to try and get weekly visits in with him if I can.”

Ahsoka nodded, still feeling slightly nervous.

Dr. Langill nodded as well before she then typed something else in on the datapad.

“I’ll also give you a bottle of immune boosters. He only needs one in the morning and one at night. It’ll help to strengthen his immune system, but you should be prepared that he’s going to get sick. He’s probably already getting sick, but the symptoms have yet to show. He’s in a new environment and is being exposed to probably hundreds of new strains his body has yet to build immunity too. And his general immunity system is pretty weak. If he starts throwing up or anything but a mild fever or cold comes, bring him in immediately. I’m going to ask the same if he gets any bad cuts.”

Ahsoka nodded again. That could be easily enough…maybe. She never really thought about the new illnesses that Ezra would have to build immunity too. How sick could he get?

Taking in a deep breath, Ahsoka turned her head to look up at Dr. Langill, hoping the panic in her eyes wasn’t as easily seen as she could feel it in her body. The doctor nodded and then pressed one last thing on the datapad.

“Everything has been sent to your datapad. He’ll probably be tired or hungry by now. You can go back to him and I’ll get those vitamins and such for you,” Dr. Langill said, putting the data pad down on her desk. 

Ahsoka nodded and before she could say anything else, the doctor was already moving to the next room to go to the storage cabinet. Still feeling slightly nervous, Ahsoka took in a deep breath before moving towards the door. She had been in the Clone Wars. She had been a _Commander_ in the Clone Wars. She’s had to face worse circumstances and harder instructions. She shouldn’t be so nervous.

So why was she?

Entering the room, she saw that Ezra had moved out of his seat and was looking up at some of the posters around the room. His face looked both interested and puzzled. His face turned towards the door when she came in and Ahsoka offered him a smile.

“We’re just about done, Ezra,” Ahsoka told him with a smile, walking over to him, staring up at the poster. It had something to do with back pain and different remedies or what different back pains mean. Considering that many pilots came in with that, it was no surprise that the poster was there. What was interesting though was that she could tell that Ezra understood what he was reading, he was just slightly confused about why it was there. He could read. Although the majority of eight year olds could read, perhaps Ezra had higher reading skills.

“Not too interesting, huh?” Ahsoka asked.

Ezra shook his head.

“It’s kinda boring,” Ezra admitted. 

Ahsoka nodded, another idea popping into her head. 

“What do you like to read, Ezra?” she asked.

Ezra thought for a moment before he answered, “my mom would read with me at night. She told me this story…the main character was like a bandit…but a good one. I can’t remember what it’s called. He and his friend would steal from the old kings and princesses and he would give it to the poor people in the village he lived in.”

Ahsoka nodded, smiling a little to herself. That was one that she recognized easily. There were a couple of copies at the Temple that Plo would sometimes read to her.

“Any others?” she asked. 

“There was another one I really liked. It was my favourite,” Ezra answered. “There was this boy that went on this ship with a couple of pirates after given a treasure map. He and the pirates are trying to find the treasure first. It was Treasure Planet,” Ezra answered.

Ahsoka’s smiled widened further.

“I like that one too,” Ahsoka commented.

Ezra turned to look up at her.

“Really?” he asked.

She nodded.

“Yes. I read it a couple of times when I was growing up too,” Ahsoka told him before admitting, “but I didn’t read a lot.”

“Mom and dad would always read to me. A chapter from a book every night,” Ezra answered, his voice getting softer by the end.

Feeling her own stomach start to sink, Ahsoka gulped and her shoulders dropped slowly. 

A whole year.

A whole year on his own.

A year never got rid of the pain.

Ahsoka knew well that even eight years couldn’t get rid of the pain.

Perhaps there was something that she could do about that at least.

“So you like stories with adventure,” the Togruta commented.

Ezra nodded.

Before either could say anything else, the door opened again and Ahsoka and Ezra soon faced Dr. Langill, who had a medium sized bag, no doubt filled with the things promised to help Ezra. The doctor gave them a smile and Ahsoka held out her hand to take the bag. Taking the bag, it was heavier than anticipated and that made it seem all the more real.

Forcing herself to swallow that anxiety, Ahsoka smiled back to Dr. Langill.

“That should do the trick. I also send a quick list of the vitamins needed to your com-unit,” Dr. Langill told the Togruta. That would make things simpler when shopping at a port at least.

“What are they?” Ezra asked.

The woman gave him a reassuring smile.

“Just some vitamins and protein boosters for you, Ezra. Nothing that will hurt you, just things to help you grow,” the doctor told him. She then pulled something out of her uniform pocket and held out a small red lollipop to the boy. “And I had one more thing for you, just because you did so well at your first appointment.”

Ezra’s eyes widened and Ahsoka couldn’t stop herself from giggling as she watched Ezra hurriedly take it from her. He ripped the protector off with ease and eagerness before he placed the candy in his mouth.

“Thank you!” Ezra told her with a smile. Ahsoka could only guess how long it had been since he had something like that.

Dr. Langill smiled widely.

“You’re welcome, Ezra,” she told him. “I’ll be seeing you soon.”

Ezra nodded and Ahsoka looked down at Ezra before saying, “we should probably get going. We have to get you a couple more things.”

Ezra nodded.

“Okay,” he agreed.

Ahsoka looked up at the doctor and gave her a smile. 

“Thank you,” Ahsoka told her.

“I have an appointment set up for next week by this time again. That okay?” the doctor asked.

Ahsoka nodded.

“It should be. As far as I know I haven’t been asked to go anywhere yet,” Ahsoka answered. 

The doctor nodded, “I’ll let you go then.”

Ahsoka nodded and Ezra was already walking out the door. Ahsoka went to follow, opening it for him before she heard the doctor calling back from behind her.

“And Ahsoka.”

The Togruta turned around, pausing in the doorway.

“When I said you could call me, I meant for yourself too,” the doctor told her.

Exhaling, Ahsoka gave the woman a small smile before she nodded.

“Thank you, Filli.” Ahsoka told her. 

The doctor nodded and Ahsoka left, holding the bag given to her tightly. Shaking her head, Ahsoka looked down at Ezra and gave him an encouraging smile. 

“Looks like we have to make a small port stop again. Are you up for it?” Ahsoka asked him.

Ezra smiled and nodded.

“Yeah!” Ezra told her, slightly more excited. It was the happiest Ahsoka had seen him as of late. Perhaps he was starting to feel better and more comfortable about everything. He was already starting to come out of his shell. Ahsoka knew he would. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezra accidentally wakes Ahsoka up during the night.

**Chapter Four**

 

Ahsoka briefly heard soft footsteps in her sleep. She could easily locate the footsteps, soft and moving from her right side behind her where her bedroom was as it moved more to her left side, though she could tell from the small echo that the steps were moving farther away, going closer to the kitchenette area. Her white markings furrowed slightly, confused at first before she reached out in the Force and sensed Ezra, though more fearful than he normally was around her, like his anxiety when Cassian came back with her. 

The Togruta decided to let it be when she also heard some cupboards opening in the darkness after there was the sound of a slight slap against the sink in the darkness of partial sleep. He was probably just getting a drink and Ahsoka was tired. It took her a while to get into a good sleep on this couch. She knew that she really should put a request in for a two bedroom sleeping quarters so that she had a bed again, but she still didn’t know how long. She would talk to him about it tomorrow morning.

She was laying down, almost asleep again before she heard an immediate crash and the rings of multiple glasses hitting the hard ground.

Wide awake and startled, Ahsoka jumped off the couch, her hands and body in an immediate defence position before she realized where she was. Her head snapping towards the sink she saw Ezra frozen in fear and pale, one hand holding a glass as he sat on the counter.

Ahsoka’s shoulders relaxed a bit and she brought her hands back down as she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Ezra—,” she started but Ezra was already panicking to explain.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” He said quickly, his voice high in terrifying fear. He was already starting to shake violently in anxiety and terror, his eyes wide with fear as it coursed through the Force. “I won’t do it again! I’m sorry!”

Ahsoka was already walking toward him, her face twisting with worry as she tried to keep a calm reaction to help him. She could see it in his eyes. She couldn’t remember how many times she had seen it in the eyes of the clones whenever they woke up from a nightmare or faced a terrifyingly familiar event. He was having a small flashback.

“I’m sorry!” 

The Togruta tried to approach him with a slower speed, yet stayed vigilant. Ahsoka didn’t realize how startled and upset she was just to see him cower as she got closer to him. She could feel her stomach dropping and starting to flip, filling with dread. The Force was heavy with the stress and static Ezra was feeling. What had this boy gone through to make him this scared?

“Ezra,” Ahsoka kept her voice and demeanour calm and comforting for him. “It’s alright. It was just an accident. I’m not mad.”

Ezra was still shaking as he looked over at her. 

Ahsoka slowly moved closer to him.

“I’m not mad, Ezra,” she promised him, trying to keep her voice as comforting as she could to help calm him down. “Are you alright though? Did you get hurt?”

The boy hesitated for a moment, still trying to slowly shed off his fear from his skin before he shook his head and answered, his voice still shaking a little, “no…” he answered as though unsure for a moment, slightly confused, before he was sure, “no.”

Ahsoka nodded, offering him a smile that would help comfort him.

“That’s all I care about,” she told him gently, also feeling a bit better knowing that he wasn’t hurt. She was more worried that he banged his head in his scampering fear, or banging his shoulders or legs on a sharp edge. 

Walking closer to him, she also felt better when he didn’t cower to her.

“I’m sorry,” Ezra said again, his voice a little weaker, more guilty than in fear.

“I’m not mad, Ezra,” Ahsoka promised him in a gentle voice, going to take one of the cups that were still on the ground before telling him, “but you shouldn’t be up this late.”

The young boy was already nodding, but not so much of understanding but of just to agree, as though he had been through a rough chiding before. At least most of his fear was gone. Although she had the sickening, creeping feeling that was linked to something like this happening before, she forced that thought back down, wanting to focus more on Ezra then situations that may have never happened and made her stomach twist.

“I know,” he answered, his voice small. “I was just thirsty.”

Ahsoka nods before moving with the glass towards the sink. That certainly explained why he was in the kitchen and looking at the cupboards for the cups. Turning on the tap, she watched the glass fill up with clear water.

“Couldn’t sleep?” the Togruta asked him, shutting off the tap when the glass was mostly full. Handing the glass to the young boy, Ahsoka then leaned against the counter again as she watched him take the cup with two hands, then bringing it to his lips to take a quick drink, almost chugging the whole thing down. That made her eyes widen slightly in surprise but she quickly hid it again. She had thought that he had enough to drink at dinner. He had three cups of water just during the dinner time. She was surprised that he was wanting more rather than waking up to go to the refresher. But Tilly had told her that he inhibit old binge habits; she just didn’t want to think that would include water too. Or at least she unconsciously hoped it didn’t.

After drinking almost half the cup, Ezra sets the cup back down again, setting it beside him as he shrugged.

“Not really,” he admitted.

Ahsoka frowned, leaning in a little closer to him. Ezra didn’t cower or lean away. His fears were gone, but she could still sense a bit of anxiety. However, she knew it wasn’t about the situation anymore. It was like a low key fear, it felt different than the one that he had before. 

“What’s wrong?” she asked him gently. What Ezra needed was sleep. It was enough of a hassle to get all those vitamin and powders to him for supper. Ahsoka thought that was never ending and more complicated than most of the situations she was in in the Clone Wars. She didn’t think a person would need so many supplements.

The young boy looked up at her and stared at her, as though deciding if he should tell her or not. Ahsoka’s frown deepened and she shifted slightly to try and get more comfortable.

“What is it?” she asked him.

Hesitantly, Ezra ducked his head again before asking, “what’s going to happen to me?”

Shocked, the Togruta’s white lines over her eyes moved flatter and closer together.

“Ezra, what do you mean?” Ahsoka asked him gently, confused. 

The younger boy shrugged again, Ahsoka sensing the anxiety flowing through the Force from him again, this time with a bit of sorrow. Ezra could really expel emotions into the Force, far more than she’d ever seen another Force-user, or even just being, do. And he seemed to be sensitive about sensing other’s emotions and Force presence too.

“Will I be here with you or am I going somewhere else?” Ezra finally asked. “What if you don’t want me around anymore.”

Staring at him for a couple of moments, Ahsoka felt her shoulders slowly slack at how his eyes seemed to cloud in the fear. She had been thinking about that a little bit, but was nowhere near a plan. Was he getting homesick? Or just worried? She knew that he was likely weary of trusting someone so much, especially to go off planet with them. She took that very seriously because she knew that he hadn’t been taken care of or had a stable home life for a long time. She had thought about what the long term rehoming future could be for Ezra. She had thought about asking Bail Organa if he knew anyone he immediately trusted to raise Ezra, but she didn’t know if she could still trust that no one would find out he was Force sensitive. Not to mention, deep down she knew, though didn’t exactly want to admit, that he would need some training. Or, maybe he didn’t. That was another thing she sometimes thought about as she laid on that uncomfortable couch. Maybe she could let him grow up, be a kid, grow up knowing he had these abilities but not use them for his safety. The Jedi died out and she had serious doubts in her own abilities to be a teacher when the Masters had such little faith in her abilities at one point. But that was a depth of pain she did not want to go through again.

So where did that leave Ezra? Just more confusion in her mind. 

Taking in a deep breath, she looked at the young boy again, who was patiently waiting for an answer. She gave him a small smile, dispelling her own thoughts to focus on now. From what she learned in her past, sometimes that was all you could do.

“Do you want to stay?” Ahsoka asked him gently.

The boy barely hesitated before nodding.

Ahsoka smiled, already feeling more confidence before answering him, “then you can stay with me as long as you need or want to.”

The boy smiled, his eyes brightening and Ahsoka felt instant and genuine warmth and relief at that smile. Ezra had hope in his eyes, something that Ahsoka knew had been absent from them for a long time.

Looking at the time on her wrist, she sighed before looking back up at him.

“I’m glad that you’re feeling better, but right now you really need to be going back to bed. You need your rest,” Ahsoka told him. 

The boy nodded and jumped down before Ahsoka could barely even think of offering to help him. Looking back up at her, he smiled again before saying, “good night, Ahsoka.”

She gave him another smile, still leaning against the cupboards. Ezra was already now moving back to the bedroom, clearly feeling better about having the drink and by talking with her. 

Ahsoka knew that she would need to make a plan in the end for him. She couldn’t hide out in her room to take care of him forever, and he would need some good care. The battle was finding someone she could trust, and making sure Ezra was okay with that.

But that was a worry for another day.

The Togruta picked up the cup Ezra used, going to put it in the sink before she decided against it and put it back on the counter, incase Ezra decided to have another drink. Perhaps she should keep some cups down for him so that he could get to them easier if he needed a drink. Turning now, Ahsoka was moving back towards the couch, hearing the bedroll moving, shuffling slightly from the movement of Ezra going back on it again before he settled to go to sleep. She smiled a bit, unaware of doing so before moving back on to the couch before realizing something was off again.

Ahsoka was only laying on the couch for a couple of moments, staring out at the wall before she made a ‘huff’ sound and bounced back off, moving towards the table. Opening her datapad, she almost punched every letter or number as she used it, the white lines above her eyes moving slant and closer together as she hit the pages in annoyance. 

And quickly, in literally the middle of the night, she sent her request to have a double, separate room quarters. While Ezra was with her, she would need a place to sleep. As she walked back to lay on the couch, she could literally hear Sato’s laughter as he looked at the request and saw the time-stamp. 


End file.
